Of Love and War
by tfloosh
Summary: AKA the Zelink Week Master Quest on tumblr. Follow Princess Zelda of Hyrule and Prince Link of Calatia as they battle against each other and their arranged marriage.
1. Light

Queen Elaina was interrupted by a knock on her study door. She sighed already knowing who was behind the door and what she was going to say. She rubbed her temples slowly, forcing down her irritation with each step she took toward the door. The other mothers at court never claimed to have this much trouble with their children.

"Lead me to her room, Alice," the Queen said before the maid could even curtsey. "I might as well deal with this myself. It's Gerrik and I she's truly upset with."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Alice bowed slightly then rushed them off to the Princess' room.

Elaina didn't knock, simply strode through the door to her daughter's antechamber. Dresses were strewn across the couches, petticoats were resting inside out on the end tables, and shoes decorated the floor like confetti. Elaina repressed a sigh and turned toward the arches that led to the bedroom. A scarf was thrown across one of the wall sconces and even more clothes littered the floor. The bed was arguably the most presentable thing in the room with three large suitcases opened and completely empty atop it.

"Alice, would you please-" Princess Zelda started before spying the Queen. She plastered an amiable smile across her face. "Hello, Mother. As you can see, I am currently unpacking."

"Rather violently I gather," Elaina glanced around the room again. The more she looked, the worse the room seemed. "Such a shame. The Bathorys will be rather perturbed to see you with only one dress for a week-long trip."

"Now we seem to have had a misunderstanding," Zelda smiled brightly. "I will not be going to Kakariko Village to meet with the Calatian Royal Family. I will stay here and continue my studies and observe the Council meeting coming up, entertain the court. There is so much I still must learn before I become Crown Princess."

"Zelda," Elaina sighed as she watched her daughter gather up the silk wrapped hangers from the floor. "You cannot miss this meeting. It was set in place specifically for you to attend."

"And there was no need for it," Zelda shook her head with slightly forced laughter. "I have no need for a husband, Mother. I am capable of ruling Hyrule by myself; you and Father have said so."

"How many times must I repeat myself?" Elaina reluctantly felt herself fall into 'Queen Mode.' "It is not about questioning your right to rule; it's about creating an alliance between Hyrule and Calatia."

Zelda began to form a retort, but the Queen cut her off, "Need I remind you that this alliance treaty has been in the works since before you were born?"

"Yet another reason why this is not what I want," Zelda snapped; her cheerful disposition completely vanished.

"This is not about what you want," Elaina felt close to shouting. "This is about what's best for Hyrule, or do I need to repeat that lecture as well?"

"No, Mother," Zelda grunted. She stopped attempting to clean up the clothes off the floor. "Can we at least find a compromise of some sort? I feel as if I am being forced into this marriage. I simply ask for some say in this aspect of my life."

Elaina sympathized with her daughter. It was hard to sacrifice your personal life for the sake of the country, but that was how monarchs lived.

"I will talk this over with your father," Elaina conceded. "But we may have to wait and see what terms the Bathorys come up with during our meeting and give you options from there."

"At this point, I would take anything," Zelda breathed. The Queen could visibly see the tension leaving the Princess' shoulders. "Thank you, Mother."

Elaina left to discuss this new development with her husband. As she walked down the hall, she idly wondered if the Bathorys were having just as hard a time with their son.

* * *

The rhythmic twang of a bowstring and thud of an arrow finding its mark filled the second floor of the Calatian Royal Castle. All the servants knew to avoid the area when these noises filled the halls, but King Clement was fed up with his son's temper tantrum. The King stalked up to the second floor hallway that was his son's favorite shooting gallery when he was particularly mad at the King and Queen.

But no amount of destroying the intricate woodwork of the hallway would sway the King on this matter, however. It was far too important for the future of the kingdom.

"Link!" Clement yelled as he neared the hallway in question. "Stop this nonsense immediately!"

"Good morning, Father," Prince Link calmly replied as he let loose another arrow aimed just to the left of a one hundred year old vase.

"Hold your fire while I'm talking to you, Link," Clement rubbed his face exasperatedly. Link lowered his bow and turned to glower at his father. "Your passive aggressive, little temper tantrum isn't going to work this time. You are going to Kakariko Village with us even if we have to drag you kicking and screaming the whole way."

"I'd like to see you try," Link scoffed. He turned around and lifted his bow to shoot again, but the King pulled on his shoulder before he could let the arrow fly.

"We agreed that you would withhold your judgement of this alliance until after you met the Princess of Hyrule," Clement said searching his son's eyes for an answer to his sudden change in attitude. "What happened, Link?"

"Is my personal happiness really second to that of Calatia?" Link asked, his bright blue eyes revealing the pain and uncertainty he must be feeling.

"How do you know you will not find happiness with Princess Zelda?" Clement countered with a raised brow. "Those words sound like Cia to me."

Link stepped away with a roll of his eyes.

"I thought you two had a mutual separation."

"So did I," Link snorted. "But some of the things she said made sense. I never put myself or my feelings first. What if I suffer for that in the long run?"

"Your mother and I have given you the opportunity to back out if that is what you wish," Clement explained again. "But you must meet with Princess Zelda first. Can you at least do that for us?"

"Yeah," Link nodded with a small smile. "I can at least do that."

* * *

The carriage ride to Kakariko Village was mindlessly boring to Zelda. King Gerrik was reading a report of some sort, Queen Elaina was creating a needle point, and Zelda was left to stare out the window at the expanse of Hyrule Field, which got really old after about a half hour. At the rate they were going, the Calatian Royal Family would make it to the mountain estate before them. Not that Zelda really minded; she had a few ideas of mischief she could pull if the Bathorys were settled into the estate first.

"Now you are to stay on your best behavior," Elaina lectured her like a five-year-old when they finally pulled up to the mountain estate. "You are a Princess and representative of Hyrule."

"So act like it," Zelda rolled her eyes. "I get it, Mother."

"We will meet the Bathorys at brunch tomorrow," Gerrik stated as he led them into the estate. "Ten o'clock sharp."

With that Zelda was excused to her room, but she obviously didn't plan on staying there. Luckily, she had hidden her Sheikah gear in her luggage. Her mother would be furious if she found out, but Zelda didn't care. She wanted to see this Prince Link without the barriers of propriety and the titles they were born with.

Zelda slipped on her Sheikah gear, leaving the kunai so as to not seem too threatening. She used a simple cloaking spell to color her eyes red and darken her skin, and Sheik climbed out from the room's balcony and stealthily slipped over to the room that housed the Calatian Prince.

Sheik was surprised to see the Prince leaning against the railing of the balcony attached to his own room. He was rather handsome with golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes she could make out even from her perch on the neighboring balcony's roof. She decided to reveal herself just as Link was turning to leave the balcony. Sheik was sure she landed quietly, so she was surprised when the Princes stiffened and quickly turned to see her.

"Are you an assassin of some sort?" he asked cautiously.

"Only when it's needed," Sheik chuckled.

"And is it needed now?"

"No," Sheik smirked behind her cowl at the relaxing tension in Link's shoulders.

"Then who are you?" he demanded.

"A friend of the Princess," Sheik replied. "I simply wished to meet you."

"And judge me, undoubtedly," Link rolled his eyes. "See if I'm worthy of your Princess."

"It would take longer than one meeting for me to determine your worth," Sheik glared at the Prince. "I do not make such lasting decisions lightly."

"But I'm sure you have deduced some things about me already," the Prince smiled and mockingly stretched out his arms. "You are one of those fabled Sheikah, yes? Is your race really as mystic as the rumors portray?"

Sheik paused and narrowed her eyes, staring at Link for a second before tilting her head thoughtfully, "You are a fighter. You rely on your instincts most likely because they never steer you wrong. I would bet you prefer combat with a sword, and maybe ride with a cavalry." She decidedly left out the aura of pride and arrogance the Prince carried. Only time would tell with those qualities.

"Very perceptive," Link begrudgingly nodded.

"If I may be so bold," Sheik took a step forward so she would be fully visible in the light. "May I ask you something?"

"I guess," he waved his hand in a 'go on' gesture.

"What are your true feelings about this alliance?" Sheik asked bluntly. "If you do not wish to marry Princess Zelda, it would be easiest to let it be known so this alliance treaty can be made without a marriage."

A small smile spread across Link's lips, "I have promised my father that I would reserve my opinion until I met Princess Zelda. But I am not opposed to the idea of a marriage alliance for my country. It has always been an option for my future, and I have since decided that I would make the most of that situation should it ever arise."

Sheik smiled, and she knew it must have shown in her eyes when she saw surprise quickly cross Link's face before it was replaced with a smirk.

"Does this mean I passed?"

"For now," Sheik smirked.

As soon as Link looked away, she disappeared into the shadows. Sheik prided herself in his shocked expression when he realized she was gone. Returning to her room and changing into night clothes, Zelda couldn't wait to re-meet the Prince of Calatia.

* * *

Zelda's mother came to her room early to help her pick out the perfect dress for her first meeting with Prince Link of Calatia. Despite the three hours spent on this endeavor while they were at the Royal Castle, the Queen second guessed the simple lilac dress they had decided upon previously on the grounds that Zelda looked much better in blue.

"It brings your eyes out, my dear."

"Well, my eyes are blue, Mother."

Eventually, they settled on a sky blue, off the shoulder dress that was a touch fancier than the original, lilac dress. There was just enough time to finish up Zelda's hair and make-up before they had to leave to meet the Bathorys in the first parlor.

Zelda was nervous despite herself. Link himself had told her he was reserving his judgement of her until they met. Zelda wanted Link to like her, but she wanted him to be against the marriage. Could she use Sheik to convince him to support an alliance treaty that did not include a marriage contract? She was so caught up in her thoughts that Zelda didn't even notice they had arrived at the first parlor until her mother cleared her throat.

"Are you ready, Zelda?" Queen Elaina asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Mother."

The butlers moved forward to open the doors for them, and a steward inside announced them. Zelda's eyes immediately zeroed in on Prince Link.

She allowed herself to take in everything she forced herself to look past last night. He was handsome with perpetually wind-swept, blonde hair and stunning, blue eyes. Their appearances seemed so similar Zelda entertained the idea that they shared a distant relative and wondered if she could stop any potential marriage with that fact. He smiled politely at her; her mother must be personally introducing her. Zelda smiled back trying to not look like the ditzy blonde most of the noble boys in Hyrule court thought she was. Zelda glanced at Link's parents, King Clement and Queen Adalynn. They were watching her and Link with rapt attention, and it unnerved Zelda slightly.

"Would you like to dine privately with me on the terrace?" Zelda asked on a whim. She felt her mother's hand on her shoulder ready to reprimand her, but Queen Adalynn spoke first.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," the Calatian Queen smiled. "Let's give the kids some time to get to know each other, yes?"

"I agree," Zelda's father took Elaina by the arm to guide her away from the Prince and Princess. "It'll give us time to talk as well." King Gerrik nodded twice to signal to Zelda to put on her Royal mask. Zelda subtly ignored him

"Shall we?" Link offered his arm. Zelda took it with a smile and directed him to the small terrace just off the first parlor.

"That was pretty smart of you, getting us away from the parents," Link smirked ever so slightly as he pulled out a chair for Zelda.

"I'm not going to lie," Zelda smiled demurely as she took her seat. "Your parents staring at us as if they might see giant hearts and rose petals suddenly form around us was what did it."

"Yes," Link frowned slightly. "They are rather invested in the idea of a marriage agreement between our two families."

"Now there's a story behind that," Zelda placed her napkin in her lap as their breakfast was placed before them. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Link considered her for a second before opening his mouth, "I've had an on and off relationship with a woman named Cia since I was sixteen or seventeen. My parents greatly frowned upon the relationship partly because of the tentative agreement of our potential marriage," he raised his glass to her before taking a sip, "but mainly because Cia is the resident Sorceress at the Royal Court in Calatia."

Zelda's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Is it as taboo for the Court Sorceress to be in a relationship in Calatia as it is here in Hyrule?"

"No, as long as her relationship is with anyone other than the Crown Prince."

"I wouldn't have pegged you as a bad boy," Zelda smirked as she took a bite of the omelet in front of her.

"Cia can be very persuasive but also manipulative and needlessly deceptive, which was the main reason for the 'off' in the on and off of our relationship."

"At least you stand up to the manipulation," she noted. "Always an admirable quality in leaders."

"I hardly learn from my mistakes, as my father enjoys reminding me," Link said bitterly. "But that's all of my story. Care to share yours?"

"My story's not all that more exciting than yours," Zelda shrugged. "As the sole heir of the throne of Hyrule, it's clearly expected of me to marry and bear children. But some in my country like to think that wedding a noble and bearing his heirs is my primary job in life."

"And obviously you think differently," Link sounded amused.

"My primary job is to justly rule my country," she skewered him with a glare. "I have had every form of schooling and training possible; I am more than capable of ruling Hyrule on my own without taking a husband."

"So you wish to prove yourself?" he asked.

"I shouldn't have to prove myself," Zelda fumed slightly before reigning herself back in. "That's why I've protested this marriage arrangement."

Just as Link was about to respond, a butler came out on to the terrace telling them their parents wished them back inside the first parlor to talk.

"Fifty rupees they immediately bring up the alliance treaty and marriage contract," Link smiled as he stood.

"No, they'll ask what we talked about," Zelda reluctantly smiled as Link pulled her chair out for her. "And another fifty rupees it's my mother that asks."

"Deal," he smirked as they walked back into the first parlor.

As much as Zelda didn't want to, she had to admit Prince Link was growing on her. He would make a good friend. Eventually. Zelda wasn't quite ready to completely warm up to him just yet.

"So what did you two talk about?" Queen Elaina asked as soon as the terrace door closed behind them. Zelda shot Link a look, and she saw him stifle a laugh.

"Just friendly conversation, getting to know each other," Link shrugged nonchalantly. "You know how it is."

"We're glad to see you getting along so well," Queen Adalynn smiled.

"I quite agree, Adalynn," Elaina nodded. "It's nice to see a budding friendship."

"I'm glad you see it as such, Mother," Zelda smiled a little too brightly to be sincere. "There certainly is nothing else budding, I assure you."

"There's no need to be so confrontational, Zelda," her mother scolded.

Zelda only conceded by smiling demurely and taking a seat in between the two Queens.

"The Princess was nothing but amiable while we ate, I assure you," Link gracefully took a seat next to his father opposite Zelda.

Zelda spent the rest of the morning only partially paying attention to her parents and the Bathory's idly chat and catch up on recent events. She nodded and smiled when comments were directed her way but otherwise tried to keep out of the conversation.

"Now we must break before supper," King Gerrik stood and everyone else followed. "We can discuss serious business during coffee after."

Link walked over to Zelda and offered his arm, "Mind if I escort you to your room?"

"I suppose not," Zelda shrugged. "But no funny business."

"You act as if you don't know me at all, Princess Zelda," Link smirked as they walked out of the first parlor together.

"On the contrary, I _don't_ know you at all, Prince Link."

As soon as they ascended the stairs, Link and Zelda burst into laughter.

"You wish to give my mother a conniption," Zelda gasped through her chuckles. "Our parents will think we are actually getting along."

"Are we not getting along?" Link tilted his head as they came to a stop outside Zelda's door. "You could have had me fooled."

"I just think it would be easier to persuade our parents against a marriage contract if we seem to not get along," Zelda tilted her head to mimic Link.

"As you wish, Princess," he shook his head as he turned to go to his own room.

Zelda briefly entertained the idea of disguising herself as Sheik in order to visit Link but dismissed the idea in favor of freshening up before her mother undoubtedly stormed into her room demanding an explanation for her behavior.

"Zelda!"

There it was.

"I don't know how you managed to do it with that unapproachable wall you've put up, but you're actually getting along civilly with Prince Link."

Zelda turned her head in confusion. Had she just heard right?

"If it weren't for all the books and poetry you read, I'd wonder how you thought it up. But you must have decided a coquettish approach would be best somehow. They do say rejecting a man will make him pursue you all the more ardently. Oh I'm so proud of you my dear. Changing your mind on this marriage contract is such a mature decision."

"Mother," Zelda nearly shouted over Elaina. The Queen finally stopped her whirlwind of babbling. "I haven't changed my mind on the marriage contract. I even talked to Prince Link about this while we ate breakfast."

"Oh, Zelda you didn't," Elaina gasped.

"He understood my reasoning," she continued. "And he was sympathetic, too. Very kind."

"Why are you so against this?" Elaina frowned. "If we discuss your worries about a marriage now, we can discuss it after dinner and make provisions in the contract."

"I know it's pointless to say it," Zelda sighed. "But I hate talking about this huge chapter in my life like a business deal."

"Sacrifices, my dear," Elaina rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I'm sorry something this large in your life has to be discussed in terms of a contract. But this could be such an amazing thing for you. Remember my mother participated in an arranged marriage, and she always called her husband the love of her life."

"Yes, but Grandmother actively chose the man she was going to marry, so even though it was contracted to benefit Hyrule politically, it wasn't technically arranged," Zelda forced down the urge to smile smugly.

"Then maybe you should think of this as your time to actively chose your demands in the contract," Elaina raised an eyebrow. "Pick your battles wisely, Zelda."

"I certainly intend to, Mother."

Zelda spent the rest of her free time before supper in the library studying contract law and reviewing past marriage contracts the Hyrule monarchy had participated in. While the estate's library was nothing compared to the Castle Archives, there was enough for Zelda to be confident that even if she could not prevent a marriage contract being included in the alliance, she could at least demand clauses that would delay the marriage until she was ready. She left the library feeling better about the marriage contract than she had since her parents first told of her the proposition nearly six months ago. She would enter negotiations as a future Queen expressing her right to dictate her own personal life and leave the childish Princess she had been behind.

Elaina was waiting for Zelda when she arrived back at her room. Apparently the Queen second guessed her dinner dress as well. After an hour of debate, they settled on a tea length, wine colored dress that was not as fancy as the original dress but perfectly matched the shade of lipstick Zelda wished to wear and showed off the silver heals she had picked out for the evening.

Supper was a rather casual affair. There were only four courses, and Link and Zelda were pretty much left on their own to make conversation since their parents were engrossed in discussing the upheaval in Lorule.

"Did you read anything interesting in the library?" Link asked abruptly during the soup course.

"Yes," Zelda tilted her head curiously. "If you consider contract law interesting."

"Not my particular cup of tea, no," Link chuckled around a spoonful of tomato basil soup.

"What is your cup of tea, then?" she asked, hoping to find out more about the Calatian Prince.

"Earl Grey, usually," he smirked in response. "Though I do like the new green tea my mother has imported from Termina. It's said to help one's health."

"So you're not interested in law?"

"My father had me sit in on a four hour council meeting dedicated to reforming trade restrictions and import taxes when I was fifteen, and I've been turned off from the whole subject ever since."

"Well yes, trade law is a bore, but welfare and health law fascinates me to no end," Zelda smiled.

"What welfare does Hyrule implement?" Link asked looking genuinely curious.

"Then same as Calatia as far as I can tell," she shrugged. "But I've been working with Father to set up a new law that requires employers to at least partially pay for the treatment of their employees' injuries if they were acquired while working."

"A novel concept," he nodded. "Would that come with paid leave if the employee cannot work due to their injury?"

"Not at this moment," Zelda let her spoonful of soup drop back into the bowl as she considered this new option. "Paid leave has usually been left up to the employer's discretion, but a law to regulate it would be beneficial to workers all across Hyrule."

Link leaned back in his chair as his soup was traded out for rosemary grilled chicken that was the main course, "I don't see why you desire to prove yourself as a credible ruler. It's obviously clear you are more than capable as you said this morning."

"I wish more men in Hyrule would see it like you," Zelda smiled ruefully. "There hasn't been a lone female on the throne of Hyrule for nearly one hundred and fifty years. The nobles have been adopting a steadily heavier patriarchy mindset ever since the passing of the last Queen Zelda."

"Ah, now I understand," Link nodded sagely. "You wish to uphold your namesake's matriarchal position as sovereign leader of Hyrule."

"Exactly."

They digressed to small talk and eavesdropping on their parents gossip on the nobles in each of their countries for the rest of the meal. Finally after the dessert plates had been cleared, King Gerrik stood.

"Shall we take coffee in the Annex?" he asked as if everyone wasn't going to say yes. They migrated to the Library Annex where more small talk filled the air with the bittersweet aroma of fresh coffee.

"Now, let's get down to business," King Clement smiled. "I believe the plan was to discuss the most pressing matters of the alliance treaty: trade, border security, military and aid support during crises, and of course a potential marriage contract."

Zelda was proud that she did not grimace at the dreaded words.

"Why don't we start with the marriage contract so the youngsters here can head to bed early?" Clement nodded congenially to the Prince and Princess.

"Actually, Your Majesty," Zelda smiled just as pleasantly to hide her frustration at the snide remark. "There is no need to discuss the marriage contract first simply for our sake. As the future ruler of Hyrule, it would benefit me to see and even participate in the negotiations of this alliance in person. It would be a much better learning experience than simply reviewing the alliance treaty after the fact."

Zelda silently reveled in the slightly dumbfounded look on the Calatian King's face, "But of course if Prince Link wishes to head to bed early, we can discuss the marriage contract first by all means."

"Wisely put, Princess Zelda," Link spoke before his father could gather enough composure to respond. "I, too, would like to stay for all parts of the negotiation, if that's alright with you, Father?"

Zelda couldn't stop herself from grinning triumphantly. She had most definitely found a partner in crime.

"Yes," Clement's voice audibly shook. "One can't gain experience if one does not participate, yes."

"I would have insisted they stay, anyway," King Gerrik smiled that one little smile Zelda knew from experience was a smirk. "This alliance will hopefully be held throughout their respective reigns. It is only logical that they help negotiate the treaty. Now where shall we start?"

An hour of negotiating border security digressed to a half hour of debating Goron citizenship since their settlement in the mountains straddled border of the two countries before transitioning to the amounts of military support and aid that one country would provide should a crisis arise in the other country. Zelda contributed as many facts and counter offers as her father during the negotiation, and when they double teamed King Clement on a specific issue, he was quick to fold to their demands. Of course they were quick to make sure Calatia benefited just as much as Hyrule. But then came time to discuss the marriage contract.

"Let's start with the easiest question," Prince Link turned to Zelda. "Do we even wish to include a marriage contract? I, myself, am not opposed in any way."

"There are a few questions I wish to ask before I agree," Zelda pulled out the paper she had written her ideas on while studying in the library. "Is the treaty going to be contingent on our marriage? That is, do Prince Link and I have to marry in order for the alliance to be fulfilled and the treaty ratified?"

"I personally always saw it as just another layer of security, if you will, to hold the alliance in place," Gerrik said. "The treaty itself could exist without it, but Elaina and I would prefer it be included as a contract."

"So we could, in theory, ratify this treaty, see how the alliance works out, and then draw up a separate marriage contract to strengthen our relations?" Zelda asked.

"If the eventual goal is union between our royal houses, I see no reason to hesitate," Queen Adalynn said. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Wisely put, Your Majesty," Zelda conceded. She doubted that plan of attack would pan out, so she barreled straight to her Plan B. "Alright, I will agree to a marriage contract to back this alliance but only if there is a clause stating Prince Link and I are not to be married until after I am crowned Queen of Hyrule."

"An interesting demand," Link said before either of their parents could voice an objection. "What is your reasoning behind it?"

"Perception of an action is just as important as the action itself," she responded. "I wish to be perceived as a woman who marries because she is Queen, not one that is crowned Queen because she is married."

"A logical argument," Link smiled, again cutting of their parents. "I agree to this clause. Do you have any other demands, Princess?"

"But Zelda, dear," Elain cut in before Zelda could speak. "Why would you wish to wait so long for the marriage? It would be better for the moral of all our people if they saw the physical union of our two countries as soon as possible."

"You've told me yourself that this alliance has been in the works since before I was born, and there is an excess of support and no great opposition in Hyrule to any alliance with Calatia," she replied. "There is no pressing reason to get this marriage over with quickly, and waiting will only give Prince Link and myself more time to get to know one another and familiarize ourselves with each other's culture."

"That is true, Queen Elaina," Link added. "There has been nothing but support for a Calatian alliance with Hyrule, and it would be better to slowly introduce the idea of a marriage between our families to the people. Springing sudden information on the people tends to cause more opposition. If it were to seem as if Princess Zelda and I would be courting for a time…"

"Link that is a genius idea," Zelda beamed at him. "The people of Hyrule always love to follow a love story."

Elaina looked concerned, and Clement and Adalynn exchanged worried, questioning glances. But Gerrik had a small smile across his face that said he was proud of his daughter.

"We could make it a clause in the contract if the concept worries you so much, Your Majesties," Zelda pressed on, aiming her attack at the Bathory's now. "The marriage will not take place until after my coronation, but Prince Link and I must officially court for at least two years or so and attend royally sanctioned events in both our countries to publically present ourselves to our people."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Gerrik agreed. "I agree with the clause of courting for let's say three years, just to make it safe, before the public announcement of a marriage between our royal houses."

Clement and Adalynn only nodded hesitantly in agreement, and the subject moved on to other matters. They decided clauses for heirs and the sharing of power could wait until an official marriage contract was written to be signed at Link and Zelda's eventual marriage. Now the only thing left to discuss was trade law. Zelda decided to sit out of that particular round and sit next to Link, who had rolled his eyes exaggeratedly when the topic was first breached.

"Thank you for the support," she whispered to him as their father's debated the import tax rate of each country. "My demands would have probably been dismissed without your agreement."

"I was doing that to save my own head to," Link smirked lightly. "Cia would take my head if she found out I actually signed a marriage contract while here. Courting you at least gives me time to convince her we're done for good."

"Should I worry about meeting this Sorceress?" Zelda asked, attempting to play off the question as a joke. "She wouldn't curse me, would she?"

"The thing is," Link grimaced. "You never know with Cia. One minute she's sweet and docile even, but the next, she's on a war path against everything, and she's convinced the whole world is against her."

"She sounds like the exact opposite of our Court Sorceress," Zelda hummed as the treaty talk turned to banned substances. "Lana is the gentlest creature in Hyrule. She so optimistic, and always has something kind to say to everyone."

"She sounds nice," he said.

"Alright I think that convers just about everything," Gerrik picked up the long scroll on which they had written all the agreed upon terms. "We can review and modify any clauses in the morning, but I believe this is a sound alliance treaty." Gerrik held his hand up to Clement, who shook it happily.

"Yes I do agree, King Gerrik," he smiled. "May a new age of light and prosperity come down over Hyrule and Calatia."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Zelda was pulling on her Sheikah gear to go and visit Link. She was fairly certain she got a good read on Link's royal mask, but she wanted to see if there was more to the pride and arrogance she had caught a glimpse of the previous night. With her eyes colored red and her skin darkened, Sheik leaped from the Princess' balcony to the Prince's. Link wasn't outside, so Sheik simply waited on the railing and mindlessly tossed one of her kunai in the air. Ten minutes later, Sheik heard the balcony lock click and the door open. She didn't move or show she was startled in any way; Impa would have been proud.

"Are you sure you aren't here as an assassin, Sheikah?" Link's voice called out to her.

She finally acknowledged him, "If I was, you would be dead already. But that's not the point." She slipped the kunai into her thigh holster as she stood from the balcony railing. "The Princess says you owe her a hundred rupees."

"That I do," he laughed as he tossed her a silver rupee. "Make sure she gets it, will you?"

Sheik rolled her eyes and nodded, "How did negotiations for the alliance go?"

"Has Princess Zelda not told you herself?" Link smirked. Sheik wondered if he enjoyed testing her.

"I wish to hear from a more reliable source," Sheik tilted her head. "The Princess is rather biased towards certain clauses in the treaty."

"Yes, she made her distaste for the marriage contract known," he laughed. "I knew I would not be opposed to it the moment she asked to eat brunch alone. She showed that she is not submissive. Zelda is out to better herself by _not_ getting married, which is literally the opposite of every other woman I know. She is strong and beautiful, and there is this light in her that makes you want to be better so you can actually be on her level. But look at me getting all sappy; I might as well be writing a sonnet."

Sheik almost laughed, "The Princess told me about the sub-clause stating the marriage must take place after her coronation. I was surprised you agreed to it."

"I agreed because I don't want to get married soon either," Link narrowed his eyes at the Sheikah. "Is there anything else you wish to know, or is this interrogation over?"

"You say you see this light in the Princess that makes you want to be better for her," Sheik started. "I have never known anyone else to see this light. That makes you different, Prince Link."

"Is different good or bad?"

"Only time can tell," Sheik's red eyes smiled as she jumped back up onto the balcony railing.

"Wait," Link called before she could completely disappear. "You've never told me your name."

"I like to be called Sheik," she said before quickly climbing on to the balcony roof.

"Sheik of the Sheikah," Link laughed barely loud enough for her to hear. "That's original."

* * *

Despite the few hours of sleep she got during the night, Zelda awoke refreshed and ready for the day ahead. She had negotiated her own marriage contract, and even though her mother was disappointed in the sub-clauses Zelda added, Elaina was proud her daughter stood up for what she wanted and made her demands like a Queen.

"It showed all that training I put into you was not fruitless after all."

"Thank you, Mother," Zelda rolled her eyes. She slipped on the hunter green dress that she fully intended to never wear while at the mountain estate. Green and gold were the colors of House Bathory, and after hearing what Link had said about her to Sheik last night had changed her mind. She wanted to honor their newfound friendship somehow, and Elaina was over the moon at Zelda's obviously display of congeniality.

Link and Zelda took brunch alone on the terrace again. They talked about trivial things this time, books they liked, favorite holidays, and childhood memories. Link alone probably spend ten minutes embellishing the tale of how he acquired, trained, and gained the undying loyalty of his horse, Epona.

"I can't wait for you to meet her someday," Link smiled widely, and Zelda couldn't help but laugh. "But don't be offended if she doesn't like you. Epona doesn't like my parents or many of the stable hands or even Cia for that matter."

"I'm sure I can find some way to charm her," Zelda smiled. This friendship between her and Link could be so easy. Maybe even after a year or so of courting, she might even develop real feelings for him, a thought that had usually filled Zelda with dread before now.

They joined their parents in the first floor office for the official signing of the Hyrule-Calatian Treaty of Alliance.

"There are only a few minor adjustments to the agreements set forth last night," King Clement smiled as he and Gerrik signed off on each clause. "Princess Zelda, you and Prince Link will need to sign for the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause, and King Gerrik and I will sign as witnesses and secondary enforcers."

Link stepped forward to sign the parchment, and Zelda smiled to him as he handed her the quill. She signed her name with a flourish and took a step back to skim the clause. Her smile fell when her eyes caught the words "in five years' time."

"Father," she tilted her head toward him without taking her eyes of the contract. "What is this 'in five years' time' statement? I thought we had agreed the marriage will not take place until after I am crowned Queen of Hyrule?"

"I'm sorry, Zelda," Gerrik stepped forward to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "The Bathorys insisted the marriage take place sooner. I tried to give you as much time as possible, but King Clement drew the line at three years of courtship and a two year engagement."

"I should have been called in; Link and I should have been present at this renegotiation," Zelda felt fury build up inside her, but it strangely did not yet reach the outer surface of calm she was carefully holding in place.

"We did not want to interrupt your brunch," Clement smiled nervously. "It was only a small renegotiation anyway."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Zelda smiled dangerously. "That is not a viable excuse. And this was a complete renegotiation of one thing Prince Link and I had agreed upon."

"Zelda, you are still given five years before any marriage is to take place," Elaina stepped up. "Is that truly not enough time?"

"It is not about the amount of time," Zelda could feel herself getting close to yelling. "It is about the fact that I specifically asked the marriage not to take place until after my coronation, which won't take place until I'm twenty-five; that's over six years away. Prince Link and I both agreed to this term, and King Clement decided to go behind our backs in order to change it."

"Did you really have to do this, Father?" Link asked, his voice sounding oddly hoarse. "And not tell us about it? Really?"

"We thought it best-" Clement started, but Link cut him off.

"If another party had done this to you, you would insist on annulling the contract immediately."

"The contract is already signed," Clement sighed. "There is no point in annulling it now."

"On the contrary," Zelda eyed the parchment. "Neither you nor Father have signed this clause yet, and since both Link and I have grounds to revoke our consent…"

She let the small kunai that she always kept up her sleeve fall to her hand. She made to slash the parchment where her name was signed so that her signature would be invalidated, but an arm caught her before she could follow through.

"I told you not to bring your Sheikah gear," Elaina's voice was filled with venom. Zelda struggled to break her arm out of the Queen's hold, but Elaina wouldn't budge.

"Impa would have insisted for my own protection," Zelda kept a straight face as she continued attempting to break her mother's grip.

"Lady Impa would not approve of you running around as Sheik when we are entertaining such distinguished guests," Elaina fired back. The Queen showed off her own Sheikah training as she quickly disarmed her daughter. "I'm disappointed in you, Zelda."

"Wait, you're Sheik?" Link gasped, eyes bouncing from the kunai to the Princess. She met his questioning gaze, but could not find it in herself to lie to him.

"Goddesses above, you've got to be kidding me," he grumbled before turning and storming out of the office.

"And this is why I told you to leave your gear at home," Elaina sighed as she pocketed the kunai. "Now go apologize to the Prince."

Zelda grew furious. Without her there to argue for the annulling of the marriage clause, the two Kings will surely sign their approval, and then she would be stuck in a contract forged behind her back. But then she remembered Link talking about his relationship with the Sorceress, Cia. 'Needlessly deceptive,' he had said, and damn if he hadn't just seen the same quality in her.

"Now, Zelda."

"Fine," she eyed her mother dangerously before turning on her heel and marching after Prince Link.

Zelda eventually found Link on the terrace where they had eaten brunch. She decided against being quiet so she wouldn't startle him where he stood looking out on the garden. She paused for a second after she closed the door behind her, waiting to see if he would acknowledge her presence, before speaking.

"I came to apologize."

He sighed and didn't turn around, "I was ready to make this work. I was ready to defy a contracted law in order to extend our courtship or the engagement so that you could get what you wanted, so we could get married after you become Queen."

Zelda couldn't stop the little gasp that escaped her. Link would have gone against both their parents in order to make her happy. His feelings must have run far deeper than she realized.

"But then you had to go and do _that_ ," he slammed his fist against the railing. "You had to go and disguise yourself and interrogate me just to make sure I liked you. I didn't think you would be so insecure."

"No, Link," Zelda sounded close to pleading. "That's not why I did it."

"Then why?"

"I wanted to meet you," she said softly so the entreating tone would leave her voice. "I wanted to see you, Link, not as the Prince of Calatia but as a man."

"And all I got in turn was a faceless assassin," Link said cynically.

"I am more myself when I am called Sheik than I ever am as Zelda," she held her head defiantly even though Link could not see it.

"But why the interrogation?"

"Revealing your feelings out loud to others makes it easier to translate those feelings without words," she felt a sad smile form on her lips. "I'm truly sorry I deceived you in this way. I was being selfish and careless to your feelings."

"I don't know if I can forgive you," Link's head fell to look at the concrete floor.

"Understandable," she nodded. "I don't think I can forgive our parents for making us sign to terms we didn't agree upon."

"I can work to have the clause annulled," Link finally turned to face her. She didn't like the hardness she saw in his eyes. "This alliance can happen without us getting married."

"Link, it's too late," Zelda shook her head. "Our fathers will have already signed as secondary enforcers."

"I'm sure there are ways around that," he brushed past her to exit the terrace.

"Link!" she tried to call after him, but he was already gone.

Three hours of arguing later and they were still stuck at the terms in the signed contract. Apparently King Clement had grown a backbone sometime during the night and refused to budge from his five year timeframe. Zelda couldn't stand to be in the same room as the King, and from the look on Link's face, he couldn't stand being in the same room as her. And as Zelda met Link's eyes for the last time before the Bathorys departed back for Calatia, she was sure that he would be fighting this marriage just as fervently as she would. Instead of creating the fast union he obviously desired, King Clement had only ensured that the Prince and Princess would fight this courtship for as long as it took.


	2. Forest

Princess Zelda thought it would happen sooner than this. Six weeks was a pretty long time to wait considering how adamant King Clement was about moving this courtship and marriage along quickly. Maybe their parents had hoped their children's heads would calm down a bit. But if Prince Link was anything like Zelda, he would still have a quiet layer of seething anger just below the surface. But as it stands, her first official outing with Prince Link would take place in two weeks' time. It would be a warm-up to the first public declaration of their courtship, a way to see how people will react when they see Link and Zelda together, and Zelda was at least glad it would be on her home turf.

The Ordon Village Harvest Festival was always a staple for the beginning of fall in Hyrule. The small village had grown from producing quality milk and cheese from their humble goat ranch to the a rather well-to-do farming town that supplied half of the country's wheat and cotton as well as herding cattle along with the famous Ordon goats. It was a pleasant festival filled with none of the stuffy rules, tight corsets, and political masks of a Royal Festival; it was truly one of Zelda's favorites, and she was going to damn Link to the Dark Realm and back if he ruined it for her.

She wrote to him describing the Harvest Festival, telling him everything he might need to know and what he should bring to wear. Zelda honestly thought it was a waste of time, but her mother insisted. She silently hoped he wouldn't read the letter and therefore be hilariously embarrassed and perpetually uncomfortable by dressing up for the Festival.

And then the gossip spread.

Of course talk fluttered about the court that an arranged marriage had been set up, but Zelda neither confirmed nor denied anything to those she was closest with. The Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause of the alliance treaty had been kept closed from the public at King Gerrik's insistence, so no one knew that the Prince of Calatia and the Princess of Hyrule were contracted to court each other until their eventual engagement. Queen Elaina, and Zelda herself to some extent, played off the story that the young royals had met during the alliance negotiations in Kakariko Village and had taken with each other almost immediately. She let the girls of court read as much into her letter to Link as they wanted. Far be it from her to correct them from thinking it was a passionate love letter.

The only other person besides the Royal Family that knew the whole story was the Court Sorceress, Lana. Zelda wanted her friend's nonpartisan advice and had ended up spilling her guts as they worked on their magic studies together.

"I apologized when I found him," Zelda hung her head. "But I don't think he'll forgive me anytime soon."

"You just need to earn his trust back," Lana smiled. "It might be hard, and it will take time, but that's really the only thing you can do."

"Do you know anything about this Cia woman?" Zelda asked once they were finished with their training. "If I know more about her, I can avoid accidently emulating her in the future."

"Cia was in my same class at the Academy," Lana's ever present smile faltered slightly. "She saw magic, and our responsibility to advise Royal Courts, as an opportunity to gain power, not as a responsibility and solemn duty to help others and do what's right. She was almost expelled for investigating Dark Arts in our final year, but she unsurprisingly talked her way out of it. Cia only cares about her own interests and how to better herself." Lana was actually frowning by the end of her rant, and Zelda had never seen her so upset.

"She sounds pretty evil," Zelda frowned in turn. How did Link even get caught up with her in the first place?

"Only those closest to her really see her true nature," Lana replied. "She has this subservient, unassuming charade she puts on to gain people's trust, then she just uses them and tosses them aside when she's gotten what she wants." Lana smiled meekly, her kind demeanor returning. "But, but I wouldn't say she's totally evil. That's kind of a strong word."

"There you go seeing the best in everyone again," Zelda smiled and started steering the conversation away from the Calatian Sorceress. "Maybe you can tell me some of the good qualities you see in Prince Link when you meet him. Then I might be able to convince myself they're there."

"Oh Zelda," Lana smiled and grabbed her hands excitedly. "It's the Ordon Harvest Festival. How bad can it be, really?"

* * *

Prince Link was due to arrive at the Royal Castle at any moment. Zelda had a very long debate with her parents about whether or not she should greet Link alone, with her mother, or simply wait until dinner to meet him. She couldn't believe she was arguing on the side of greeting him at the front doors, but she was going to take Lana's advice and felt it was a good way to start rebuilding the trust between them, and when she told her parents as much, they finally agreed.

And so Zelda stood on the steps leading to the over-large front doors of the castle. She watched as the carriage transporting Link made its way up the drive. Dread filled her the closer it got. After what seemed like an hour of waiting, the carriage finally pulled to a stop in front of her. She descended the steps as the coachman jumped down to open the carriage door.

"Prince Link," Zelda gave a small curtsey as Link stepped out.

"Princess Zelda," he bowed his head and took her hand to place a chaste kiss to her knuckles. Zelda breathed a sigh of relief; at least Link wouldn't stoop to embarrass her in public.

"We are pleased for you to finally visit Castletown," she started reciting the little welcome speech she had rehearsed in her head all morning. "I regret that we will not have more time here before we must leave for the Harvest Festival in Ordon Village."

"You needn't apologize, Princess," Link smiled. "I am happy to spend time with you wherever we are."

Zelda almost rolled her eyes at the sappy statement, but the giggling of nearby servants reminded her they were far from alone.

"How sweet of you," she smiled demurely. Zelda lead Link to the visitor's wing of the castle. She asked him simple questions like how his trip was and if he was excited for the Harvest Festival. When they reached the room Link would be staying in, and Zelda stood by the door as the Prince took in his surroundings. "The Junior Undersecretary, Martin Bolton, will be by later with an itinerary of our trip. It'll mainly be arrival and departure times; we're pretty much free to do as we please during the Festival itself."

"That sounds very quaint," Link mused as the butler brought the last of his luggage into the room. They were left alone, or as alone as one could get in the Royal Castle. He turned to look at her. "You are either not as mad at me as I thought, or you have put up a very convincing mask for the public."

"I could say the same to you," Zelda felt a small smirk come across her lips before she schooled her expression to be neutral.

"I assure you, Princess, my geniality is just a mask," Link narrowed his eyes at her. Zelda refused to let the disappointment she felt show on her face.

"And I am not as angry as you think," Zelda smiled sadly. "Let me know if you need anything. You have the run of the place until dinner, which is at six-thirty, but you must let one of the stable hands or horse masters know if you wish to go riding."

Link gave her a curt nod, and Zelda left without another word. She went straight to the Queen's Office, knowing her mother would be looking for her soon anyway.

"He hates me," she gasped as she stormed through the door.

"Now, my dear," Elaina set her quill down and gazed sympathetically at her daughter. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you. Mistrusts maybe, but never hate."

"He told me any kindness he shows in public is just a mask," Zelda frowned. "And it's a very good one; I couldn't see through it at all."

"Zelda, dear-"

"He can't stand me, Mother. This is going to be the worst trip ever."

"Remember what you told your father and me about rebuilding trust?" Elaina raised an eyebrow. "Promise me you will give everything you have into rebuilding the trust between you and Prince Link during this trip, and if he still refuses to accept your apology, then you can be as passive aggressively rude to him as you like."

"You're giving me permission?" Zelda couldn't help but giggle.

"Refusing an apology when the guilty party has sincerely shown remorse and tried to make amends is an offence you should not have to take," Elaina shrugged, but Zelda could swear she saw a faint smile on her face. "If Prince Link chooses to be an ass, then by all means, make his life miserable in the process."

"Mother!" Zelda laughed.

"You may have met your match for obtuse stubbornness this time, though," Elaina stood from her desk and walked around to hug her daughter. "But for the glory and honor of the House of Hyrule, make him break first."

"I shall endeavor to, Mother," Zelda smiled one last time before leaving.

* * *

Zelda didn't hear from Link for the rest of the day. She spent most of her time in the library, as had become her habit over the past two months since the signing of the alliance treaty. She was continually searching for ways to annul the courtship and marriage contract or at least rework the clause in her favor. So far, she had found that nothing short of her father's abdication of the throne would allow her to be Queen by the time she was to be married. It wasn't until Zelda was back in her room finishing some last minute packing that Alice, her head maid, came to her with worried eyes and an anxious frown.

"I've been talking with Joel, who stands guard in the visitor's wing, and he said he heard one of the maids assigned to Prince Link say he didn't pack any hunting clothes, only formal suits," Alice whispered to her as if it was the most scandalous gossip.

Zelda felt her face flush with anger before she could do anything to stop it. She quickly covered it with giggling embarrassment, "I must have forgotten to put what clothes Prince Link should pack in my letter. How silly of me." Zelda coughed up another fake giggle as she racked her brain for a quick solution. "I'll have to take him to the Bazaar to get proper clothes. Find my mother and tell her what has happened, oh, and that Prince Link and I will find dinner while in Castletown." Zelda rushed around her room to find a proper cloak and walking shoes. "I'll be on my way to the Prince then. Do try and keep this quiet, Alice; we wouldn't want to embarrass Prince Link any further for my mistake. And thank you for telling me." She smiled one last time before waltzing off to Link's guest room.

Zelda never actually thought Link wouldn't read her letter. As entertaining as it would be to embarrass Link further by having him wear formal suits to the Festival, she was trying to rebuild their trust and that meant covering up for this minor disaster.

She passed guardsmen and maids who nodded to her knowingly, and Zelda really hoped Link appreciated her saving him from embarrassment like this. The butler at the door announced her, and she could clearly hear Link's annoyed "What's she doing here?" This was going to be a long evening.

"You didn't read my letter at all, did you?" Zelda asked as soon as the door closed behind her.

"I assumed it was just a token 'I'm so glad you're coming with me; I can't wait to see you' letter your mother forced you to write," Link huffed. He at least had the decency to look embarrassed about being found out.

"Well if you had read it, you would have known that the Ordon Harvest Festival is a very casual affair, and you would only need to pack clothes you consider suitable for hunting," Zelda tried her best not to shout.

"Well then, that would have been helpful, yes," Link simply stated while putting on his cuff links. "Is there anything else you wish to scold me about, or can we go to dinner?"

"We aren't going to dinner," Zelda rolled her eyes. "We're going to the Bazaar to get you some proper clothes, and we'll have dinner in Castletown."

"I'm sure I'll be fine with the clothes I have packed," Link said stiffly.

"Only if you wish to be embarrassed and uncomfortable the whole trip," Zelda sighed. "The Harvest Festival is a commoners' festival, Link. No one will be wearing formal suits. Hell, I'm even planning on wearing trousers one day."

He raised an eyebrow, and Zelda could tell he was trying not to laugh, "Really?"

"Really," she could see he was going to bend, at least a little, and she saw that as a victory.

"Fine," Link sent her a small glare, but she could tell it was only partially out of spite. "Am I at least fine to go into Castletown dressed as this?"

"Yes, just grab a coat of some sort," Zelda tried to keep her victorious grin in check. "Do you wish to meet in the Entrance Hall?"

"Yes, if you don't mind."

"I'll see you soon then."

Zelda marched out of the room, cursing Link's stubbornness in her head, and ran into her parents as she passed the first floor dining room.

"What is this I hear about you and Prince Link not joining us for dinner?" Gerrik asked with a far too knowing smirk on his face.

Zelda looked around to make sure no servants were in earshot, "Prince Link did not read the letter I sent regarding the Harvest Festival, and therefore did not pack adequately for the trip." She paused as her father snorted slightly to cover a laugh. "We're going to go to the Bazaar to get him some proper clothes, and we'll eat dinner in Castletown."

"I'll see if Martin can get you a reservation at that cute, little restaurant by the fountain," Elaina smiled as she went off to find the Junior Undersecretary.

"Don't tell anyone the truth," Zelda whispered after her. She turned back to her father. "I've already taken the blame saying I forgot to tell Prince Link in the letter I sent."

"A great way to start rebuilding trust," Gerrik winked. "Now here," he motioned to one of the butlers down the hall, "are some rupees. Enough for clothes for four days, is it?"

"I'm sure it is," Zelda smiled as she took the bag of rupees from the butler. "Thank you, Father. I'll let you know when we get back."

"Don't stay out too late," he called after her as she left for the Entrance Hall.

Martin Bolton had a particularly sour look on his face when Zelda arrived at the Entrance Hall.

"You couldn't have told me earlier that you wanted a reservation out of the castle?" he grumbled.

"It was a spur of the moment decision," she smiled as Link descended the stairs to meet them. "I wished to show Prince Link more of Castletown before we left in the morning."

"Are you ready, Princess?" Link asked as he stopped next to her.

"As long as our reservations are in place," Zelda kept her smile plastered on her face. She eyed Martin as if daring him to say no.

"Yes, Your Highness, the table will be reserved until nine o'clock," he recited stiffly. "So please arrive at the restaurant before then."

"Don't worry Mr. Bolton," Link smiled as he took Zelda's arm. "I'm sure I can keep a wayward Princess in line."

If Zelda weren't surrounded by castle staff, she would have done much more than fake a giggle. But she could only wait until they were walking down the gravel path that lead from the castle doors to the front gate.

"I'm sorry for this inconvenience," Zelda said sternly, keeping her eyes forward. "I have already told my maids that I simply forgot to tell you the proper attire for the Festival in my letter, and I'm sure the whole castle is now swooning because their Princess is so love sick she actually forgot to follow proper procedure." She could feel Link's ice cold gaze on her; it almost made her shiver.

"Then I guess I should thank you for not forcing this embarrassment on me," he said. Zelda could practically feel him roll his eyes at her.

"If you had just read the letter, this wouldn't have been a problem."

"If you had just been honest with me when we met, I wouldn't have thrown the letter out in the first place."

"Link," Zelda stopped them just before the turn in the road that would reveal the front gates. "I am trying to make these next five years at least bearable so that our marriage can be successful, and that takes trust."

"Funny how that didn't bother you two months ago," Link's eyes glared daggers at her.

"Two months ago, I thought I could stop this marriage before it was contracted," she glared back at him. "And now unless some freak accident burns the original contract to ashes and scatters them to the winds, we are stuck in this courtship and marriage. It would be easier if you at least gave me a chance to earn back your trust."

He sighed, "All I am willing to give you is a chance."

"Good thing that's all I need."

Zelda turned and began walking again, forcing Link to rush to catch up to her so he could take her arm again. She waved to the guards as they passed through the front gate and started chatting idly with Link even though she was sure he wasn't listening.

"Now it may seem counter-intuitive," Zelda kept rambling as she led them toward the tailor shop in the Bazaar. "But Gorons are actually some of the finest tailors in all of Hyrule. We've been working with this family of Gorons for generations. They even designed my mother's wedding dress."

"Miss Zelda," a booming voice called as soon as they entered the tiny shop. "Such a surprise. What brings you too my humble shop?"

"Good evening, Golo," Zelda smiled what might have been her first genuine grin all day. "May I introduce Prince Link Bathory of Calatia. He is actually the reason we are here."

"I see," Golo's eyes crinkled. "And what might I do for you, Your Highness?"

"As it turns out, I apparently packed all the wrong clothes for our trip to Ordon Village tomorrow," Link smiled sheepishly. "We were hoping you would be able to help us get some proper attire."

"Now, Miss Zelda," Golo scolded as he turned to grab a tape measure. "Did you forget to tell the Prince about the Harvest Festival?"

"My mind must have been on other things while I wrote my letter to him," Zelda blushed and hated herself a little when it didn't feel entirely fake. "But that doesn't matter now because I know you can work your magic to get us some fine hunting clothes for our trip."

"If you'll just stand here, Your Highness, I'll take your measurements, and we can get started," Golo motioned to a small step set in front of a three piece mirror, and Link walked toward it. "What pieces were you thinking of?"

Link froze on the step and stared in the mirror at Zelda.

"Probably just three undershirts, four long-sleeves, a couple of tunics and nice vests, and some trousers," Zelda answered for him. "Unless you brought some riding pants?"

"Yes, a couple," Link answered.

"Then one pair of hunting trousers and that should be enough for the trip," Zelda turned and started walking down the long, narrow aisle where all the bolts of fabric were stored.

She pulled down different shades of green and brown and hunted down some navy blue that would complement some of her dresses nicely. She placed the fabric on the front counter and rifled through the many boxes of trimming and appliques for anything that was gold.

"You certainly know your way around this place," Link had a small smile on his face.

"I've always been very picky on how I want my dresses to look," Zelda smiled back and picked a couple of more gold trimmings. "Eventually Golo let me have the run of the place to let the selection process go faster."

"If she didn't already have a future as our beloved Queen, I would have offered her a job years ago," Golo chuckled heartily. "She has chosen good fabrics, though I would have gone with more fall colors."

"I guess we could throw in some reds to change things up if the Prince so wished," Zelda scrutinized Link carefully. "But oranges and yellows would just wash him out."

"Strangely enough, that's what my mother always says," Link nodded. "Why the blue?"

"It would complement one of the dresses I'm bringing," Zelda couldn't stop herself from feeling unnecessarily embarrassed. "But this is your decision. Would you like me to pull some reds?"

"No, green and blue is fine."

Zelda smiled at the small victory. They spent the next hour and a half picking the style, fabric, and trimming for each piece of clothing they were ordering. Link must have had little experience designing his own clothes since he deferred to Zelda to make most of the final decisions. In the end, they ended up with brown hunting trousers, two white and two cream long sleeves, two white undershirts, two green tunics, a green vest, and a navy vest. After paying Golo, they left for the small restaurant by the fountain with thirty minutes to spare.

"That wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be," Link admitted as they walked down the narrow street to the fountain square.

"You make it sound as if I was attempting to torture you," Zelda smirked. "Have you never gone shopping in Calatia?"

"No," he shook his head, "Usually one of the maids takes care of it or my mother if it's something important."

They walked into the restaurant, and Zelda smiled at the host.

"Ah, Princess Zelda we have been expecting you," he bowed to them. "We kept the window seat open just for you and your date."

Link opened his mouth to protest, but Zelda leaned over subtly so she could shove him with her shoulder.

"How generous of you, Alfonse," Zelda smiled. The host led them to their table. "I'm sorry this was so last minute, but I wanted to show Prince Link more of Castletown before we left for Ordon in the morning. Can you believe he's never seen our beautiful city before?"

"Great Goddesses, no," Alfonse gasped as if shocked, though it was clearly exaggerated. "If that's the case, Your Highness, then you have the best tour guide in the country with you." He placed their menus before them and winked before leaving to fetch a bottle of wine.

"How is it that you seem to know everyone personally?" Link asked amazed. "Even if I went out into Calatia City regularly, I would never be able to remember anyone's name."

"It's all about building a relationship with the people," Zelda smiled as Alfonse returned and poured them each a glass of chardonnay. "My family is loyal to certain establishments in Castletown, such as Golo's Tailoring and this restaurant, and the people who work there are, in turn, loyal to us." She took a sip of wine. "I remember hearing a story not too long ago about the owner of a pub my father used to frequent when he was younger throwing someone out because they were insulting the Royal Family. My father probably hasn't set foot in that pub for years, but the owner still remembers a time when Prince Gerrik would only insist on going there to have a pint during his schooling."

"We have a very different system in Calatia," Link said as he perused his menu. "The Royal Family doesn't necessarily stay loyal to one particular business. Instead, if a specific service is needed, such as flowers for a ball or banquet, the different flower shops in town put in a bid to do the work. We then pick which store we wish to work with based on their bid. Then many different stores can boast they have done work for the Royal Family."

"I have noticed in my research that Calatia seems to have more of an open market than Hyrule does," Zelda said. "Have you found anything that sounds appetizing?" She gestured to the menu.

"The venison sounds particularly good," he smiled.

"We'll be having plenty of that in Ordon," she laughed. "Go ahead and try something new."

"Everything that's new to me has too many vegetables," Link stuck his tongue out. "But we don't get too much seafood in Calatia. Is salmon any good?"

"The salmon here is my favorite," she smiled and waved Alfonse over.

"What can I get for you, Your Highnesses?"

"I hear the salmon here is the best," Link said. "Am I able to take the Princess' word on this one?"

"Most certainly, Your Highness," Alfonse smiled. "Would you prefer grilled or baked?"

"Well, which is the best?"

"The baked salmon is a bit spicy for my own tastes, personally," the host admitted. "So I recommend grilled to those who don't generally enjoy spiced foods."

"Grilled it is then," Link handed over his menu.

"And for you, Princess?" Alfonse turned to her.

"The grilled shrimp with rice and asparagus, please."

"And will that be all for the table?"

"Yes, thank you, Alfonse."

They talked rather amicably throughout dinner, though Zelda could tell Link was much more guarded than he had been in Kakariko Village. He insisted on paying since Zelda had paid for all the new clothes at Golo's.

"You know, it's quite hard for me to remember that I'm angry with you at times," Link confessed as they walked back up the gravel path to the castle.

"Father says the Council members feel the same," she laughed. "I could spend the whole day arguing with them about policy, but they are never able to hold a grudge for too long."

"But I'm still angry with you," he narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'd actually be surprised if you weren't."

* * *

The ride to Ordon Village took most of the day. Zelda was glad she brought books to read along the way because Link was less than forthcoming when it came to conversation. She had begun digging into old religious texts to see if they could help her find ways to annul the marriage contract. So far the only thing she had found was that the contract could be annulled if one party committed an adulterous sin, but Zelda highly doubted Link would bring that sort of shame upon his House and country, and there was no one she would even want to cheat on Link with in Hyrule. Maybe that sorceress he had been seeing in Calatia, Cia, would get caught attempting to seduce him. But if he was the victim, there may not be enough grounds to argue for an annulment. Zelda's thoughts went round and round in similar circles until Link cleared his throat.

"Nearly there, are we?" he asked, keeping his gaze firmly to the scenery outside the carriage.

"Yes, we should be there before the sun goes down," Zelda replied curtly. She closed her book and stored it back inside her travel bag. "So not too long now."

"Since I didn't read your letter about the Festival," Link started slowly, still pointedly avoiding her gaze. "Is there anything I need to know about Ordon?"

Zelda smiled and tallied another small victory in her column, "Ordon and its surrounding forests were annexed into the kingdom of Hyrule a little over one hundred years ago now. The original settlement was founded by humans, but over time some Hylians have immigrated to the farming town, and it's most famously known as the hometown of the Hero of Twilight."

"Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten about Hyrule's Legendary Heroes," Link huffed. Zelda could tell he was rolling his eyes.

"Despite Ordon's constant growth and prosperity, it has kept to its roots as a small farming and ranching town, and they still celebrate the Harvest Festival in the same manner they did some hundred and fifty years ago."

"So what will happen in this Festival? What events are there?"

"It will start with a large outdoor feast tonight," Zelda started, thinking back to previous visits to the Harvest Festival. "Then there will be a carnival tomorrow with all types of games and foods and shops, and that evening there will be a fireworks display. The next morning there is worship dedicated to Din to bless the bounties of the earth that has been harvested and ask for a good crop for the upcoming season. Then there is partying until around midday, and dinner is blessed in the name of Farore for her creation of all the animals and her blessings on the herds that year."

"Sounds exciting," Link said with the least amount of enthusiasm possible.

"It should be," Zelda snapped back. "The Ordon Harvest Festival is one of my favorite Festivals in all of Hyrule."

"Because you don't have to wear a corset for this one?" Link finally turned to look at her with a smirk across his face.

"No," she glared at him. "It's because I can be a normal woman attending the Festival and not worry about my perception as the Princess and future Queen of Hyrule."

"We should be in Ordon in about five minutes, Your Highnesses," the coachman called from his seat up front.

"Thank you," Zelda answered cheerfully. She turned back to Link and resumed her glaring. "Some of my happiest memories with my family are from Ordon Village; do not ruin this Festival for me."

They were greeted by the Mayor of Ordon when they finally descended from the carriage some ten minutes later. Mayor Bo was a kindly, middle aged man with a loud booming voice and a fierce love for his town. He greeted Link with an over-enthusiastic hand shake and a promise to give him the grand tour of Ordon Village before the big feast tonight. Link gave her a panicked look at this, and Zelda could have given him an out by saying they were much too tired after their long journey, but she decided this was payback for his corset comment from earlier.

As soon as their luggage was squared away in their rooms at the tiny inn, Mayor Bo led the Prince and Princess on a tour of the village. Zelda smiled and nodded at all of the mayor's comments and just to torture Link, asked for the ever elaborated backstory on everything from the grand waterwheel to the small pumpkin patches that still held their own against the tall shops and cobbled streets to the sprigs of hawk grass that the children loved to whistle with.

They returned to the inn over an hour later with just enough time to freshen up and change before the big feast. Not five minutes later, Link barged into her room under the pretense of asking which vest to wear.

"You are evil, you know that?" he huffed as she tied up the laces on the front of his green vest. "That tour could have lasted twenty minutes but you made it at least four times as long with your questions."

"That should teach you never to think I prefer events based on whether or not I wear a corset," Zelda glared at him before finishing the laces with a bow and tucking it into the vest so it would not be seen.

"But it has to at least be a factor, right?" Link smirked down at her.

Without the heels she usually wore, Zelda was just barely eye-level with Link's chin, and she didn't like the tiny bit of power knowing he was taller gave the Prince.

"If you must know, I only wear corsets with formal gowns worn at celebratory balls and State Dinners," Zelda said as she grabbed a small jacket to wear in case it got chilly. "And they aren't as uncomfortable as most think, if you wear them correctly."

"All women in Calatia must wear their corsets incorrectly then," Link smiled as he held the door open for her, and Zelda couldn't help but smile back.

"See, we can get along civilly."

"Don't push your luck, Princess."

The feast was indeed grand. Tables laid end on end down the length of the path that wound next to the small creek that cut through the village. Platters and dishes of food were piled on to the tables, and Zelda could tell that the families of Ordon must have worked for at least a week to produce all this food. Link actually looked impressed at the set-up, with its mismatching table cloths and chairs. It was truly the complete opposite of any formal State Dinner or Feast that would be held at a castle.

Mayor Bo lead them toward seats in the very middle of the long spread of tables. Zelda sat down with Link to her right, and the Commander of the Hyrulean soldiers in Ordon, Rusl, on her left.

"Alright, alright everybody," Mayor Bo called in his booming voice. The chatter that had spanned the table instantly quieted down. "Thank you all for preparing such wonderful looking meals for our feast tonight. Let's hope they taste just as good, yes?" Laughter rumbled up and down the tables. "This year we are happy to welcome Princess Zelda and her special guest, Prince Link Bathory of Calatia, to our table." Zelda waved a little at the polite applause. "Would you be so kind as to bless our meal, Your Highness?"

"I would be honored, Mayor," Zelda stood and smiled as more people clapped. "Let us bow our heads. We call in the name of the powerful Din, who created the land which bears the fruit of our labors, the courageous Farore, who provided all that lives on the land so that we might prosper, and the wise Nayru, whose laws we uphold. May they come and bless our food and the good people of Ordon Village who worked to create it, and may they continue to bless this village with prosperity and love. So we pray in thy name."

Everyone mumbled back, "So we pray in thy name."

"Now let us begin the feast!" Mayor Bo yelled excitedly.

The chatter descended on the crowd again, and Zelda sat back down.

"Now where is this venison you promised me," Link asked as he picked up some rolls from the plate in front of him.

"It's just down there," she pointed with a laugh.

Zelda preferred to listen more than talk at times like these. She was fascinated by Link's comedic amazement at the different types of food he had never seen before. The mayor's daughter, Ilia, kindly explained what was in each dish and specifically promoted those she made herself. Mayor Bo then wrapped Link into talk about the alliance treaty and began talking about trade law. Zelda watched, roaring with laughter on the inside, for five minutes before she decided to save Link from his misery.

"Come now, Mayor," Zelda chided kindly. "We came here to get away from all the politics of Castletown and celebrate your bountiful harvest. Let us leave boring talk of trade for other times."

"You're quite right, Princess," Mayor Bo laughed. "Why don't you tell us how you're enjoying Hyrule, Prince Link? I have heard you have only visited once or twice, correct?"

"Yes," Link answered after he took a drink of spiced wine. "Yesterday was the first time I'd seen Castletown. It was really a remarkable place. Princess Zelda took me out in the evening to show me the city, and we had dinner as this quaint, little restaurant."

"Our dear Princess is ever the gracious hostess," Bo raised his glass to her, and Zelda tried to tell herself it was the mayor's complement and not Link's that was making her blush. "She will make a fine Queen one day."

"That she will," Link raised his glass with Bo.

"Now you're just making me blush, gentlemen," Zelda said trying to repress the smile that was forming on her lips.

"Come now, Princess," Link turned and winked at her. "I'm sure it's just the wine."

Zelda refused to pass up the opportunity to kick him under the table as those around them laughed. When she was fairly certain she had given Link a nasty bruise on his shin, she turned back to Mayor Bo.

"As you can see, Mayor," Zelda smiled sweetly. "Prince Link, here, is only ever a gentleman when he wants to be."

"And I never want to be a gentleman around you, Princess," Link smirked as he took another sip of his drink.

"You may have met your match then, Your Highness," Ilia giggled. "Princess Zelda hardly ever acts like a lady."

Dessert flew by in what felt like seconds drowned in chocolate and strawberries. Link fell in love with pumpkin pie, and Zelda had a good laugh at the whipped cream mustache he acquired as a result of eating too fast. After all the food had been cleared away, Mayor Bo reminded everyone of the carnival in the morning. Zelda stood to lead Link back to their inn, but Ilia came up beside her before she could take a single step.

"If you don't mind, Your Highness, I'd like to steal the Princess from you," Ilia smiled as she tucked her arm in with Zelda's. "It's been so long since I've been able to chat with my good friend, and I can have my father show you back to the inn if you need."

"No, I'm sure I can manage," Link gave them a little wave before turning and heading off.

"How funny would it be if he stumbled and fell into the creek?" Zelda asked as they turned to stroll in the other direction.

"Far more hilarious than it should be, I'm sure," Ilia laughed for a second before her face turned serious. "So it was all an act?"

Zelda nodded, "I'm glad we were able to cover ourselves so well."

"You had me going until that gentleman comment," Ilia smiled. "What did you do, kick him under the table?" Zelda nodded again, quite proudly, as Ilia laughed. "I saw his face just as you did it. I wish you could have seen; it was hilarious."

"Remind me to get you one of those new pictographs for Goddess' Day then," Zelda smiled, though her heart wasn't entirely in it.

They walked in silence until Ilia stopped them on a small fishing dock behind the waterwheel.

"Is it true you're going to marry him?" she asked quietly. "There are rumors going around. I just wanted to make sure from the source."

"Eventually, yes, but it's being kept under wraps for a while," Zelda frowned. "I couldn't get out of it. King Clement went behind our back and changed the contract without telling us. And then I was stupid and went to meet with Link as Sheik, and he found out, and now he hates me, and I'm trying everything to get his trust back, and I don't know if it's working, Ilia." She took a deep breath. It was overwhelming to think of all her problems with Link and the marriage contract all at once.

"He's forcing himself to be mad at you," Ilia stated.

"How can you tell?"

"There's too much attraction between you," she laughed. "Just the way you banter with each other is telling enough. Prince Link said things he knew would rile you up, like he was seeking out ways to fight with you. But you would respond so gracefully and shut him down. There's no way the Prince could stay mad at you for long, I think."

"Can we at least agree that he's an ass?" Zelda asked with a small giggle.

"Oh, yes," Ilia nodded as she link her arm with the Princess again. "He is undoubtedly an ass for thinking he could win a fight with you."

"This is why we are such good friends, Ilia."

* * *

Zelda woke up refreshed for the carnival in the morning. She felt ready for anything Link could throw at her. Ilia had been right; Link was looking for ways to pick fights with her so he could stay angry, but Zelda wasn't going to let that happen. Today was going to be a good day filled with food and fun and fireworks, and Prince Link was not going to ruin it.

"Good morning," she brightly called as she knocked on his door once she was dressed.

Link opened the door, mouth open and ready to say some snarky comment no doubt, and then he froze, "You really were serious about the whole wearing trousers thing."

Zelda looked down at her outfit. She wore a light blue tunic over tan trousers with knee-high riding boots.

"We're going to be walking around quite literally all day," she rolled her eyes. "There is no way I'm wearing kitten heels and skirts."

"Alright, fine," Link yawned heavily. "Is there anything you wanted then?"

"I wanted to see if you needed breakfast before we left for the carnival?" Zelda raised an eyebrow.

"I might as well," he opened the door fully so she could enter the room. "Will we head out when we're done?"

"If you're ready, yes."

"Alright then," Link grabbed a leather hunting jacket to put on over his tunic and walked back to the door. "Let's get breakfast."

They left for the carnival some time later. Though Zelda stopped and talked with many of the shop keepers and villagers, she spoke very little with Link. He didn't try to make conversation either, so Zelda wasn't going to be the first to speak. But after catching Link staring at the booth that held the archery game for the fourth time, she finally decided to ask.

"Do you want to go play the archery game?"

"Only if you wish to, Princess," he smiled.

Zelda rolled her eyes, "It's encouraged to participate in the carnival games, you know. We could even make a competition of it."

"You think you're that good of a shot?" Link huffed to cover his laugh.

"I've been shooting since I was old enough to hold a bow," she nudged him teasingly as they walked to the booth. "Though I would expect nothing less than the same from you."

"Years of training is negligible if you wield a less powerful bow than your opponent," he smirked at her as the joined the short queue at the archery booth.

"Power is nothing if it is not channeled properly," Zelda countered.

"I think we should make a wager," Link crossed his arms as they took a step up in the queue.

"So if I win, you will buy me any dessert of my choosing?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes, as long as you do the same if I win."

"Deal," Zelda held out her hand to shake on it, and they stepped up to the booth.

"Ah, Princess," Rusl greeted them from his spot behind the counter. "Did you bring the Prince over to play my humble game?"

"Why Rusl, he insisted on coming and playing," Zelda smiled as she handed over the rupees to play.

"I think you may have gotten that backwards," Link smirked as he pointed out one of the heavier bows to use.

"I'm not so sure I did," she smiled back as Rusl handed her a medium weight bow.

"You get three arrows to shoot," Rusl explained as he handed them their arrows. "If you score over a fifteen you get a small prize, over twenty gets you a medium prize, and a bull's eye gets you a big prize no matter what."

"And highest score wins, right Zelda?" Link smirked again as if he couldn't keep the look off his face.

"May the best archer win, Link," Zelda took her stance.

She drew the bow once to test its weight before lowering it to nock an arrow. She heard the snap-thud of Link releasing his first arrow, but she didn't look to see what it scored. Zelda drew her bow again, aimed, and released. The arrow hit on the line between the ten and nine circles.

"Nice form," Link commented.

"Quit ogling and shoot," Zelda's lips lifted in a small smile before she could stop them.

"Yes, ma'am."

Her next shot was a little low, only an eight, but her last shot was a dead center bull's eye. She smiled; a twenty-eight would be hard to beat.

"Would you score for us, please Rusl?" she asked.

"It would be my pleasure, Your Highness," he walked to the targets. "Princess Zelda has a ten, ten, and eight, and Prince Link has three nines. Princess, you are the winner." He pulled the arrows and turned to get their prizes. Zelda got two stuffed animal toys in the shape of Ordon goats and a small toy tiara she happily placed on her head.

"I think it's better than my other tiaras, don't you think?" she tilted her head, modeling the tiara for Link and the spectators that had gathered to watch their small competition.

"It's not as good as my sword here," Link brandished the small wooden sword that was his prize. "I think I'll hang it on my wall back in Calatia."

"And recount the tale of how the Princess of Hyrule beat you at a carnival archery game?" Zelda poked him as they moved out of the way for the next people in line.

"Oh of course not," he said as he took up her arm to escort again. "I'll tell everyone I let you win just so I could buy you dessert."

She swatted him on the arm but decided not to argue further.

They continued around the carnival for several hours. Link ended up buying Zelda her favorite chocolate truffles for dessert, and she stopped at one point to give her plush goats to a couple of playing children. Eventually they made their way back to the inn so they could rest and freshen up before dinner and the fireworks show.

Dinner was again outside, but this time all the tables were set up separately from each other in small clearing by the main gate to the village. Link and Zelda sat with Mayor Bo and Ilia again. Zelda spent most of the meal catching up on all the latest gossip. Ilia went on for quite a while about the new ranch hand, Fado, and Zelda couldn't help but wonder if her friend had a crush.

Feeling like she had ignored Link for long enough, Zelda turned to him once dinner was over, "Have you ever seen fireworks before, Link?"

"Yes, we usually shoot them off for Goddess' Day," he nodded curtly.

There he goes being all closed off again; Zelda almost rolled her eyes.

Not long after, the fireworks started. What was once one of her favorite parts of the Harvest Festival as a child was dampened by the lack of enthusiasm her company was showing. Zelda went to bed that night vowing that if Link refused to open up to her by the end of the Festival then she would take her mother's advice and be just as stubbornly angry with the Prince as he was with her.

* * *

"You didn't say we'd have to wake up at the crack of dawn," Link grumbled as Zelda practically dragged him to the center of the village.

"If you had read my letter," she started, but he cut her off.

"Stop holding that damn letter over my head," he said in between stumbling on the cobblestone path. "I said I was sorry."

"And doesn't it feel bad to know you aren't forgiven for something you have sincerely apologized for," Zelda shot back. She stopped them just before they reached the center of town to straighten their clothes.

"Now this is the most important part of the Harvest Festival," she said as she tightened the bow on Link's blue vest before tucking it away. "I only ask that you stay for the prayer, and I will make an excuse for you to head back to the inn to catch up on your sleep."

"I'll be fine," he swatted her hands away. "Wouldn't want people to think we're anything less than the perfect couple."

"And we aren't even officially courting yet," Zelda smiled, letting the sarcasm lay thick in her voice. "How thoughtful of you."

"Let's just get this over with," Link rolled his eyes and held out his arm for Zelda to take.

They walked calmly into the center of the village. Zelda told Link in a low voice what to expect and what to say while Link nodded along as if he was actually listening.

"Ah, Your Highnesses, we're so glad you could make it this early," Mayor Bo greeted them as they walked down the makeshift aisle created by the chairs placed before the alter. "It is quite a beautiful morning, I must say. The sunrise was especially enchanting. Did you happen to catch it?"

"I'm afraid we didn't," Zelda shook her head ruefully. "Someone was a little tired after all the excitement yesterday and struggled to wake up this morning."

"I said I was sorry, Zelda," Link's sheepish grin was so convincing it almost fooled the Princess.

"Well, I can't help but tease you about it," her giggle sounded a little too fake.

"Come now, we must be holding up the ceremony with our chatter," Link looked to Bo.

"Oh, nonsense," the mayor chuckled. "The priest isn't even here yet. Please, take a seat."

Mayor Bo led them to seats on the first row. Link kept up his perfect gentleman act as he talked with the people sitting next to them. Zelda was surprised he could wear such a mask so early in the morning. It made her wonder if she would ever be able to see the real Link again.

Finally the village priest showed up wearing vestments of blazing red to honor the Goddess Din. He began his lengthy blessing of the earth and the crops that grew there, and Zelda tuned out the words she had memorized since she was ten. She kept ahold of Link's hand so she could squeeze it when it looked like he was falling asleep. After almost an hour, the blessing was finally over and breakfast was served. Zelda immediately set out in search of an omelet with Link trailing behind her slowly. She piled her plate from the small breakfast buffet set out for everyone, a vegetable omelet with toast and jam and fresh goat milk. Just as she was about to leave, Link grabbed her arm and leaned in close.

"Why is there no meat?" he whispered.

"Meat is not eaten today until the herds are given Farore's blessing at dinner," Zelda explained quietly.

She turned away to find a table to sit at and heard Link mutter, "And now I'm supposed to spend a day without meat?"

He eventually joined Zelda at her table looking sullenly at his plate of eggs.

After breakfast, Link went off with some of the other men to watch the traditional tests of strength used to honor Din. Zelda was actually glad to see him go; she needed some time away from the Prince.

"He seems especially mad at me today," she sighed as she talked with Ilia,

"Most people are irritable when they're woken up extremely early," Ilia said. "Especially, men. I wouldn't read too much into it."

"But I'm trying everything," Zelda felt her hands ball into fists. "He won't even budge, and the masks he put up just confuse me. Why can't we just go back to the way it was?"

"Do you have feelings for him?" Ilia asked quietly.

"No I- no of course not," she sputtered. Her cheeks were growing hot, and Zelda couldn't believe that it felt like she was lying when she knew it was the truth.

"But you want to have feelings for him," Ilia pointed out. "You just won't let yourself."

"Of course I won't," Zelda huffed. "I wouldn't want to fall for this fake jerk of a Prince."

"And what about the Prince you met in Kakariko?" Ilia smirked knowingly.

Zelda opened her mouth to argue but no words came out.

"Could it be that you want Prince Link to go back to how he was when you first met him so you can let yourself have feelings for him?"

Zelda didn't know how, but Ilia had hit the nail straight on the head, "You should study psychology. You would be a natural at it."

"Thank you," Ilia smiled. "But you're avoiding my question."

Zelda looked away to the small mountains and hills that surrounded Ordon Village, "That may be, possibly, almost exactly how I feel. But I don't want to fall for him at all. I want to annul our contract and politely avoid him at every function we are forced to attend together."

"Well lucky for you, he doesn't want to fall for you either," Ilia crossed her arms. "But you're stuck in your contract until you maybe find a way to annul it. You might as well try and make nice while you can."

"Or I can be just as rude to him," Zelda suggested.

"Zelda," she scolded. "You know that's not going to fix any of your problems."

"But it will make me feel better."

She laughed as Ilia rolled her eyes.

Lunch was a lot more pleasant than breakfast. Link sat with some of the young men he met at the tests of strength while Zelda sat at a completely different table with some of the women she had come to know over her years of visiting. She was glad to be spared Link's whining and complaining and utter rudeness. Despite her love of the Ordon Harvest Festival, Zelda wanted to leave as soon as possible so she could get rid of Prince Link. He simply frustrated her to no end. She was done with trying to act nice and rebuild trust. Zelda decided she would give it one last shot before giving Link a taste of his own medicine.

The tables that had been set out for breakfast and lunch were moved to open up a clearing for dancing. Zelda fully expected Link to completely ignore her and not even ask her to dance, but she was surprised when he came up to her during the first song.

"May I have the honor of dancing with you, Princess Zelda?" he asked giving her a slight bow.

"The honor would be mine, Prince Link," Zelda smiled despite herself.

Link led her out onto the grass dancefloor and they started to waltz slowly.

"I wonder," Zelda murmured so only Link could hear, "how many masks you have. You seem to have quite the collection."

"Calatian court is not the same as Hyrulean court," he replied. "Many masks are needed to hide one's true intent from others."

"There was a time when you wore no masks with me," she looked up at him. He turned away to avoid contact.

"Yet at that time you were the one wearing masks," anger flashed in Link's blue eyes.

"How ironic that our roles seemed to have switched," Zelda refused to rise to his anger. "If you choose to only wear masks with me, then I may choose to do the same to you. And believe me when I say, my masks are much more fearsome than you can imagine."

"Then I look forward to the sight, Princess."

The song ended, the silence stealing Zelda's reply. She curtseyed automatically when Link bowed. It took her a second to recollect herself, but when she did, all she could feel was seething anger.

Did he really just throw her attempt at making peace back in her face? How dare he so readily snub her offer to start anew? His rebuff had come so quickly, naturally even, it was as if he wanted to continue fighting just for the sake of it. Zelda wanted to stomp her feet, scream, do anything to relieve the anger building inside her. It was as if Prince Link wasn't even giving her a chance to prove her trustworthiness. But he wouldn't; he had promised after all.

Zelda spent the rest of the day mechanically going through the motions of a benevolent Princess. It was hard to keep her new-found anger under the surface, especially when she had to interact with Link. Every time they spoke, it became clearer to Zelda that he was going to belligerently hold on to their pointless fight. Somehow she made it through the hour long blessing of Farore and the dinner that followed. She kept a smile plastered on her face as Mayor Bo walked her and Link back to their inn. She packed up her clothes in preparation for the journey back to Castletown tomorrow morning, but the whole time she mind was running in increasingly angry circles.

Maybe if she just talked with Link. But that hadn't worked the last thirty times.

She should just lay down the law and demand his forgiveness. No, that was idiotic.

One thing was clear to her though, Link had not given her the chance to earn back his trust, and that's what angered her most of all.

After an hour of mindlessly folding and refolding her clothes, Zelda escaped to the back porch of the inn for some air. But the Goddesses would show her no reprieve; Link walked out onto the porch not five minutes later. All of Zelda's anger and resentment bubbled to the surface as she turned to face him.

"You said you would give me a chance," she narrowed her eyes at him. "But you clearly have not."

The confusion in Link's eyes was the only answer she needed.

"Did you ever intend to let me earn your trust back?" Zelda's voice rose. "Or were you so keen to hold on to your childish anger that you had to contest me at every turn and make a fool of me in front of my own people?"

"I do not tolerate being lied to," his quiet voice was filled with simmering anger.

"I have apologized," Zelda yelled. "I have not lied to you since. I have shown you nothing but curtesy since you have arrived in Hyrule, but all you do is seek to embarrass me."

Link opened his mouth to argue, but Zelda cut him off.

"I am the future Queen of Hyrule, and I will _not_ tolerate being treated this way, especially by the man I am expected to marry," she paused and locked eyes with Link. "Especially by the man who would rule this country beside me. So until such a time comes where you accept my apology and apologize in turn for your actions, I will treat you with as much grace and respect as you treat me."

Zelda stalked past the Prince, only pausing briefly at the door to say "Goodnight."


	3. Fire

Sheik stood before a circle of training dummies, kunai strapped to her legs and a tanto on her lower back. Her mind drifted to the women's gossip at court the previous day.

 _They'll be such a handsome couple._

 _Can you just imagine the heirs?_

Sheik struck out at the nearest dummy faster than the blink of an eye. The straw arm and head barely hit the floor before she moved to the next dummy.

 _How did she snag such a good-looking Prince? She's such a prude._

 _But I hear that Prince Link is quite the flirt in Calatia._

 _Not enough of a flirt to soften the Princess' hard heart._

Another straw head hit the floor.

 _She'll just refuse him like she does with all the others._

 _She's not going to find anyone better than a Crown Prince._

 _She'll refuse him; just wait and see. No one is good enough for our prissy Princess._

Sheik decimated the rest of the training dummies in seconds. She hated court. She hated the gossip. And most of all she hated the fact that after six months of research she had found no plausible way of annulling the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause of the alliance treaty.

Later this evening would be the official announcement of the courtship of Princess Zelda and Prince Link, but as was tradition in Hyrulean Court, everyone already knew. It was all anyone could talk about at court for the past week, yet no one could technically say anything aloud since it wasn't official. She was plagued by whispers wherever she went, and she was sick of it.

Sheik cleaned and returned her weapons to their closet, changed back into her gown, and reluctantly removed the cloaking spell that turned her eyes red and darkened her skin. Zelda took the servants' passages from the training room to her bedroom to avoid the many visitors that were pouring into the castle for the announcement. The Bathory's were already making themselves at home in the visitor's wing.

Zelda shuddered at the thought. In the six months since the Ordon Village Harvest Festival, she and Link had attended four other events together, and their relationship had only gotten worse. Goddess' Day in December was filled with awkward small talk and being overly polite with each other. Their outing in February ended in another fight. Calatian National Day in March was essentially a contest to see who could sass the other more. And at the State Dinner held in Hyrule only two weeks ago, Zelda took every opportunity to stomp on Link's toes whenever he subtly insulted or embarrassed her.

It was a contest of wills, a test in stubbornness, and Zelda was growing tired. It was more exhausting than she would have ever thought to stay mad at one person for so long, not that Link made it very hard. He was so insufferable and infuriating; every time he spoke, Zelda just wanted to punch him in the mouth. But that was only when they were actually together. When Zelda wasn't having to tolerate Link's presence, she remembered how kind his smile was and how open and sweet he had been with her. But the pride and arrogance she had seen during her very first meeting with the Prince had taken over. He hardly seemed like the same person she had brunch with on the garden terrace in Kakariko all those months ago. As much as Zelda hated to admit it, Ilia had been right; she wanted to go back to the time when she thought it wouldn't be too bad being friends with and even courting Link, the time when he would make her smile and be willing to defy contracted law to make her happy.

It had been so easy, then she had to go and screw it all up by lying to him.

"Princess?" a tentative knock sounded from the door. "It's Lana."

"Yes, come in," Zelda sighed.

Lana slowly peaked inside the door before walking in, "Are you feeling alright? Your aura is very sad."

"Sad," Zelda sat in one of the chairs in front of the fire. "Angry, frustrated, confused."

"Is it the announcement tonight?"

"And Prince Link," she nodded. "I just don't know what to do with him, and I'm tired of our stupid game."

"Why don't you tell him that?" Lana tilted her head.

"I can't give in first," Zelda gasped. "He's the one who started all of this; he should be the one to apologize first."

"You know Prince Link is thinking the exact same thing," Lana laughed quietly. She sat down next to Zelda and put on as serious a face as she could muster. "But you two are bringing out the worst in each other right now. I've never seen you act so hostile outside of a debate, and all this fighting will simply lead to more hatred."

"I know," Zelda rested her head in her hands. "But I don't know how to stop this fighting. Every time I've tried, Link just sees it as an opening to attack."

"What if you just ignored him?" Lana suggested with a giggle. "Only respond to him when he's kind."

"Or just start crying whenever he insults me," Zelda started laughing with her. "Then he would have to apologize, in front of everyone even."

They sat laughing for a while, thinking up even more ridiculous ideas to disarm Link. Eventually Queen Elaina came in to make sure Zelda was getting ready for the announcement. She sat talking with the girls while Alice, the maid, put up Zelda's hair in an elaborate bun.

"I do see what you mean though," Elaina said. "Prince Link is quite arrogant."

"See," Zelda looked to Lana through the mirror. "Mother agrees, so he should have to apologize first. His pride could stand to be taken down a notch anyway."

"But wouldn't it make you better than him if you humbled yourself and apologized first?" Lana countered.

"I already tried that, and it didn't work," Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Let me tell you, Your Highness," Alice said around a mouthful of hair pins. "As a mother of three boys, I know they can be the most stubborn, hard-headed beings on the planet. Sometimes it takes humbling yourself to make them see they should do the same."

"See," Lana clapped happily. "Alice is on my side. Thank you, Alice."

"Anytime, Miss Lana."

"When is my next outing with Prince Link after this, Mother?" Zelda asked as Alice moved around to freshen up Zelda's make-up.

"Not until Midsummer," Elaina answered. "You'll be going to Calatia City for their Midsummer Bonfire."

"A bonfire in the summer?" Zelda asked confused.

"It is slightly colder there than it is here," Elaina shrugged. "And it will be at night."

"Then I will see how things progress today and at the bonfire," Zelda stood as Alice finished her make-up and began helping the princess into her dress. "And maybe I will seek an end to this ridiculous fight."

"That sounds fair enough for me," Lana smiled.

Half an hour later, Zelda was walking down the stairs with her mother to meet with the other royals in the receiving room off the Grand Hall. Zelda smiled and greeted King Clement and Queen Adalynn before walking over to Prince Link.

"I have an idea," she whispered to him so their parents couldn't hear.

"Faking illness so we don't have to go through with this?" he asked.

"Close," Zelda glared at him. "During the proceedings you will tell my father you wish to court me. He will ask if that is truly your wish, and you could say no."

"Will that really work? Even with the contract."

"It might since you are stating it publicly," she replied with a shrug. "My father may uphold your wish before the contract and refuse to enforce it."

"Intriguing," Link smirked. "I can see all the shocked faces now."

"It's up to you though," Zelda said as she walked to the door that led into the Grand Hall. "I hope you make the right choice."

Zelda entered through the side door after the butler announced their presence. She gracefully sat on the throne to the left of her father's and kept her eyes on the main entrance of the Great Hall. It couldn't have been five minutes, but it felt like an eternity waiting for the Bathorys to be announced. They walked up the aisle created by the standing courtiers and bowed respectfully before the royal family of Hyrule.

"King Gerrik of House Hyrule," Clement announced with a flourish. "I formally present my son and heir, Crown Prince Link of House Bathory."

"Well met, Prince Link," Gerrik stood and nodded in greeting.

Zelda tuned out the trivial small talk that was spoken just for the pleasure of the court. Her stomach began to sink as the inevitable drew near.

"Now Prince Link, what is your reason for visiting Hyrule?"

"I have come to ask your permission to court your daughter, Princess Zelda," Link stated.

Zelda stared at Link and tried to keep her emotions off her face.

"And is that truly your wish?"

Link turned his gaze to Zelda. He tilted his head as a small smirk spread across his face.

"Yes, Your Majesty, it is."

Shock struck Zelda like a bolt of lightning. He said yes. Why would he say yes after all this time they've spent fighting? She was so stunned, she almost missed her father turning to her.

"Princess Zelda, do you consent to court Prince Link?"

Zelda stood and joined Gerrik at the front of the dais to buy herself time to think. She could deny her consent like she did with all the other suitors that came to call, but then what would the court think? She looked to Link, and this brilliant, mischievous smile was spread across his face. It was the same smirk that graced his face on that first day in Kakariko Village. Zelda's answer came without a thought.

"Yes, I consent to court Prince Link."

"Then you have my blessing. May your courtship prosper."

Link swept forward to kiss Zelda's hand before leading her out among the courtiers to be congratulated. It was a whirlwind of emotion. Everyone was smiling and congratulating, and all she could do was nod and say thanks. Drinks were handed out in celebration, but Zelda felt light headed without the alcohol.

It wasn't until almost midnight that everything slowed down enough for Zelda's thoughts to catch up to her feelings. Link was escorting her to her room when she finally asked.

"Why did you say yes?"

"The shock finally wearing off?" Link smirked.

"You could have said no, but you didn't," Zelda stopped just outside her door.

"You could have said no as well," he countered. "But you didn't."

"I, well I," Zelda stammered trying to remember just what she was thinking when she consented to court the Prince. "I didn't want to say no," she finally whispered.

"Then for once," he raised her hand to his lips. "We are of the same mind."

Link gave her a quick bow before heading to his own room, leaving Zelda more confused than ever.

* * *

April ended in a deluge of rain, and May flew by in a rush of qualification exams and parties celebrating the end of qualification exams. Too soon for Zelda's liking, it was mid-June, and she was due to leave for the Midsummer Bonfire in Calatia in a week. She had talked at length with Lana about what Link had said to her after their courtship was announced. Lana saw it as Link's way of offering up a white flag in their on-going war, but Zelda wasn't so sure. Her mind went round and round in circles as she packed for her trip.

Did this mean they weren't fighting anymore?

Should she make some sort of peace gesture?

Why did men complain about women being so confusing?

Obviously _they_ were the impossible-to-read sex!

It was a two day trip to reach Calatia City from Castletown. Zelda tried to calm herself on her ride by reading her favorite book, but she couldn't keep her mind focused on the pages in front of her. She eventually got so exhausted of sitting in the carriage, she insisted on riding a horse for the first part of the second day. When they finally reached Calatia's capital city, Link was there alone to greet Zelda. She couldn't help but notice that was exactly how she had greeted Link on his first visit to her home. Prince Link gave her a quick tour of the castle before showing her to the guest chambers.

"The library is on the second floor," he continued as servants brought Zelda's luggage into her room. "Biggest set of double doors you can find. And the gardens are quite pleasant this time of year if you wish for some fresh air."

"Will you be free to join me at all this afternoon?" Zelda asked. She sounded too hopeful and needy to her own ears, but Link simply smiled.

"I'm afraid I have to polish my mask collection," he smirked. "Father wishes for me to still attend court this afternoon."

"I should go with you then," Zelda said. "The nobility will want to see me anyway since I'm here."

"No, I wouldn't force this torture on you," Link smiled sadly as he turned to the door. "Hyrule's nobles are puppies and kittens compared to the asinine, old fools I have to deal with. Enjoy your freedom, and I'll see you at dinner."

"See you at dinner," Zelda called as Link left. She felt a little dazed and disoriented. That was honestly the most civil conversation she'd had with Link in almost a year; she didn't know how to react to it. Maybe a walk will clear her head.

Zelda wondered around occasionally asking for directions to the nearest garden. She was directed to an older part of the castle, a place that was more wood than stone. She pushed open a solid door to see the most beautiful cloistered walkway. Window-like openings that would have looked out onto a courtyard were completely obscured by a waterfall of pink flowers. Zelda made her way to the door-like opening that led into the courtyard. Her smile grew. The large courtyard was filled with cherry trees in full bloom. Zelda was amazed; the summer was far past the peak blooming period for cherry trees.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice called.

Zelda turned to see a dark-skinned woman with short white hair. The woman was scantily clad, exposing a lot more skin than even Calatian standards found acceptable. She also carried a staff that Zelda could tell was imbued with magic.

The woman chuckled in a way that was far from mirthful, "I work year-round to keep these trees in perpetual bloom. It's not a difficult spell once you get it down, but it does take a lot of time and practice."

"The beauty of the trees must make the effort well worth it," Zelda replied evenly. The awe she had felt earlier was frosted over. The woman's presence seemed to suck the warmth and light from the garden.

"I do agree, Princess," the woman smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "But the real reward is when I let the trees actually bear fruit. Cherries grown with magic are said to have the most tantalizing taste. My dearest Link counts them as his favorite."

Zelda's suspicions were confirmed; this woman must be the Sorceress Cia with whom Link had a previous relationship. She needed to proceed cautiously then.

"It is a shame I cannot try some," Zelda pursed her lips into a smile.

"Yes, a true shame," Cia's eye lit up with a strange fervor. "I only harvest them for Link's birthday. Cherry crepes are a staple at the State Dinner held in his honor."

"I look forward to the opportunity to taste them," Zelda looked around at the trees. She wanted to leave, but she knew Cia would just see it as a weakness.

"Yes, it will be interesting to see if you make it that long," Cia replied. "Court can be quite vicious here, you know."

"I have been warned," Zelda narrowed her eyes. She didn't like the sound of that threat at all. "Now if you will excuse me, I must get ready for dinner."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Princess."

"Likewise."

Zelda hurried as quickly as she could back to her room. It wasn't until she was safe on the bed did she realize how heavy her chest felt, how difficult her breath came to her. The change was subtle but enough for her to notice. Cia carried a dark aura, a very powerful one that could even effect Zelda despite all the protection her light magic offered her. Zelda forced herself to calm down and began her meditation practices. Obviously no one else could sense the dark aura otherwise something would have been done to stop the sorceress. Or possibly use of dark magic wasn't as stringently regulated in Calatia as it was in Hyrule. Either way, Zelda could think of no way to approach the matter, so she let it go. There was enough on her plate with her precarious relationship with Link.

After an hour of meditation, Zelda finally got ready for dinner. Link knocked on her door a little while after to escort her down to the dining room.

"Are you ready for dinner?" Link asked.

Zelda nodded even though she felt far from prepared to deal with a social conversation.

"Just to warn you," Link said quietly as they walked down the stairs. "Some of the nobility insisted on joining us for dinner, so the best survival tip I can give you is to not be offended by anything they say and show no emotion."

"So basically how I've tolerated you the past few months?"

"Exactly."

To say dinner was interesting would be an understatement. Zelda had spent many a day jumping hurdles for the Hyrulean Court, but that was nothing compared to what she had to endure during dinner. The Calatian nobles were snobbish and rude and infinitely worse than dealing with Link on his own. By the end of the meal, Zelda's cheeks were hurting from the fake smile she had plastered on her face all night. Thankfully, Link helped excuse her from the traditional after dinner chit chat by saying she was still tired from her long journey.

"I want to attend court with you in the morning," Zelda said suddenly as they walked back up the stairs. She didn't know what made her say it, but after her encounter with Cia, surviving Calatian court felt like something she needed to prove she could do.

Link's eyes looked like they would pop out of his head, "Are you insane? They'll eat you alive. I don't care how easy you think dinner was; court will be ten times worse."

"All the more reason to prove I'm not weak," she replied. "We are courting now Link, and they need to see I'm not some silly Princess they can manipulate."

"But," Link began to protest, but Zelda would have none of it.

"But what, Link? I'm not as weak as you would like to think. I'd have thought dealing with you all these months would have proven it."

"I may not be able to protect you if something goes wrong," his eyes hardened.

"You mean if _I_ do something wrong?" she fired back accusingly. "Good thing I don't need your protection anyway."

Zelda stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. Despite her anger, she almost laughed when she heard Link grumbling about stubborn women all the way down the hall.

* * *

Link had never felt more nervous in his life. The thought of Princess Zelda attending court that morning was eating away at his stomach. Why did she insist on putting herself through that torture? It wouldn't prove anything except to show that she was too frustratingly stubborn for her own good. She couldn't even see that he was actively trying _not_ to fight with her. She should be grateful he was trying to keep her away from the lion's den that was court.

But, damn, he absolutely hated that he loved the fire that sparked in her blue eyes whenever someone challenged her. He had learned very quickly that the quickest way to get Zelda to do something was to tell her she couldn't. Loath as he was to admit, he admired her tenacity and strength. Link had never met anyone quite like Zelda, which is why his selfish brain refused to give her up.

Link made his way to the guest room Zelda was using. She insisted on taking breakfast in her room, probably so Link wouldn't have time to try and persuade her from her plan. He knocked on her door dreading the next three hours of his life. But then he saw her. Zelda had gone all out wearing an elegant dress in the navy blue of House Hyrule and a formal tiara in her braided hair. The crest of Hyrule could be seen in her intricate necklace and bracelets. She looked every inch like the future Queen she was born to be.

"You look beautiful," Link breathed. His brain was incapable of thinking anything else.

"Is it too much?" Zelda's face dissolved into a worried frown. "I thought the extra jewelry was a bit overboard, but my mother would have insisted."

"It's perfect," Link smiled. "You look like a Queen. There's no way the nobles will be able to touch you now."

"We'll see," Zelda rolled her eyes as she closed the door behind her. "I'm sure you'll find some way to embarrass me like you always do."

"Only if the opening is just too tempting," Link smirked as he led the princess down to the first floor.

"Don't make me stomp on your foot."

They remained silent until they reached the doors to the Grand Hall. Zelda squeezed his arm when he moved to open the door, so he stopped.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" she whispered. Her voice trembled slightly; Link could say nothing but yes.

"Will you promise not to leave me alone with them?" her eyes turned to his, and Link felt his heart jump in his chest against his will.

"I promise to not leave your side."

"Then let's get this over with," Zelda turned to the doors, her emotions fading from her face, and they entered court.

The three hours didn't drag as much as Link would have thought. He led Zelda around introducing her to all the nobles of Calatian court. She was a pro dealing with those who snubbed her. She ignored those who only called her 'Princess' instead of the more respectful 'Your Highness' and had a razor sharp comeback for every subtle insult thrown her way. Slowly but surely, she was winning their respect. What had taken him years to accomplish, Zelda made quick work of in hours; Link was impressed to say the least. Zelda had definitely come with a plan to conquer the court and win over the begrudging hearts of the nobles.

Once it was time for lunch, Link whisked Zelda away so they could eat privately. They sat in the Private Dining Room silently staring at each other until Link broke the silence.

"You were fantastic, you know?" his smirk evolved to look more like a genuine smile. "You were born to be a Queen."

"I do believe that's the first genuine complement you've given me," she smiled back.

"Come now, I must have complemented you at least three times on our way to court," he laughed.

"Yes, but were they genuine?" Zelda countered.

They dissolved into easy banter as their food arrived. It was refreshing for Link to talk with the princess without fighting the whole time. Even though he had come to realize some time ago that his anger was directed more at his father for putting him in this situation, Link still felt the childish need to lash out in rebellion. He had gotten over Zelda lying to him ages ago, but he still fought with her because she was the only one who could be affected by his anger. He couldn't direct his rage at his parents effectively because of their status, so all of it fell on Zelda, which he knew was unfair since she was just as stuck in this situation as he was. But despite realizing this, Link just couldn't let go of his anger. He hated being forced into decisions he didn't want. He hated having his entire life planned out for him. He hated the expectation to be perfect all the time.

"Hello? Link?"

Link shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts and turned to Zelda, "I'm sorry; I was lost in thought."

"I just asked when we would be heading to the bonfire tonight?" she smiled.

"The Midsummer's Feast will start at six o'clock in the castle, and we'll head down to the bonfire before it's lit at sunset," he explained.

"I've never actually seen a bonfire before," Zelda said as a servant came to clear their dishes. "I know it's a common tradition in Hyrule for them to be lit in remembrance of loved ones fallen in war, but we haven't had a major conflict since before I was born."

"Then you're in for a real treat," Link smiled. "The Midsummer Bonfire is an unparalleled spectacle."

"I can't wait to see it then," Zelda stood and furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Do we have to go back to court?"

"I think we can excuse ourselves on the grounds of resting for the bonfire tonight," he smirked mischievously. "Would you like me to take you back to your room?"

"Actually," Zelda's voice sounded timid, and she looked everywhere but at Link. "I was wondering if we could take a walk, or something. Just an outing would be nice in this weather, you know?"

"But what would the nobles think?" Link asked in a mock scandalized voice.

"Let them think what they wish," Zelda's blue eyes twinkled with that fire.

"Then lead the way, Princess."

* * *

The rest of the day passed by in a blur for Zelda. Her plan to gain their respect had not crashed and burned like she feared it might. And she couldn't believe she had spent a whole day with Link without fighting once. Zelda never thought it was possible. Even as they walked to the bonfire together, she was still waiting for some huge fight to break out between them.

The Midsummer Bonfire was being held in the fields on the outskirts of Calatia City. The walk from the castle to the city gate was pleasant. The streets of Calatia City were filled with booths selling everything from food to jewelry to toys for children to play with. As much as Zelda wanted to just window shop through all the booths, she and Link had to stay close to the King and Queen. It was strange being a part of a royal entourage. The tradition of nobles following the King and Queen around during outings had never really been common in Hyrule, and Zelda was definitely sure she didn't like it. There was no escaping the sideways glances the nobles gave them, and it was far too easy to overhear any gossip, especially if it was directed at her.

But it seemed that Link was determined to keep the smile on her face genuine. He bought her jewelry she thought was pretty on the grounds that she needed more green to wear and indulged her with sweets she had never seen before in Hyrule (her favorite was the macaroons). It was easy to pretend they were in their own little bubble until Zelda caught the smug expression on King Clement's face. She had never understood the King's sudden transformation from a spineless insect to a manipulative snake during their visit to Kakariko, so she had become deeply mistrustful of him.

As if he could sense what gave her pause, Link whispered in her ear, "Just ignore my father. He's being too much of a smug bastard these days."

Zelda had to laugh at that, "It tends to happen when people think they're getting their way."

"I believe your mask collection is growing," Link smirked. He placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her. "We should be able to slip away from the rest of the entourage once we get to the bonfire. Come on."

Zelda didn't understand how they'd be able to slip away. Surely even if there was a large crowd they would still stick out. But then she saw the bonfire. Once they exited the city gates, it immediately caught her eye. Zelda didn't entirely know what she was expecting, but it surely wasn't this. The bonfire was made of hundreds of logs stacked in tiers that created a giant cone shape that had to be at least fifty feet tall.

"I told you it was awesome," Link laughed at Zelda's expression. "Come on; we're missing out on all the fun."

He grabbed her hand and started running down the road toward the bonfire. Zelda could hear voices calling after them, but she couldn't understand them over the sound of her and Link's laughter. They didn't stop until they were breathless at the foot of the giant bonfire.

"Told you we could slip away."

"I don't know why I thought you had something more subtle in mind," Zelda laughed breathlessly.

"It's as you said though, isn't it?" Link raised an eyebrow at her. "Let them think what they wish."

They walked around the growing crowd surrounding the bonfire as the sun went down. Zelda stopped to mingle occasionally with the common-folk, and Link entertained her with stories of all the different Midsummer Bonfires he'd been to.

"My parents wouldn't let me go when I was younger," he said. "They thought I was sickly while the doctors insisted I just needed time outside to play like any other boy. But I couldn't see the bonfire from my rooms because the city wall was too high, so I would sneak into the highest tower and sit and watch the bonfire burn all night."

"That sounds wonderful," Zelda smiled.

"Not as wonderful as actually seeing it up close," Link pointed to some men carrying torches. "They're going to light it now."

Zelda stood in awe as the men walked around the massive base of the bonfire setting fire to every other log. From the other side of the stack, she could hear a voice talking of passion and the will to fight and invoking the name of Din to aid them in their future endeavors. They stood and watched the fire slowly make its way up to the top of the bonfire, only moving when the heat became too much.

They walked in silence for a while after. Zelda got the feeling that Link, much like herself, wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.

"I forgot to tell you I found an interesting garden yesterday," Zelda finally said. "And it made me wonder if you liked cherries."

"Cherries?" Link looked taken aback at the randomness of the question. "No, they are too sour raw and too sweet when cooked. They also remind me of, oh."

He stopped and turned to look at Zelda with an expression that was half fear, half guilt.

"Did you meet her? Was she there in the garden?"

"Yes, actually," Zelda smiled wanly. "She sent me some thinly veiled threats and tried to assert some sort of claim over you."

Link's eyes filled with anger, reflecting the bonfire shining next to them.

"I should have been there. I shouldn't have been at court; I should have been with you so that this wouldn't happen."

"Link, it's alright," Zelda placed a hand on his shoulder to help reign him in. "Look at me." She reached up to cup his face in her hand, hoping that focusing would help him calm down. It took a second, but the fire in Link's eyes changed to something else, something Zelda couldn't quite name.

"I should apologize for my actions," he whispered.

"There was nothing you could have done," Zelda shook her head. "You had to obey your father, and I'm perfectly fine fighting my own battles."

"No, I mean," Link fidgeted nervously. "My actions before now, at that State Dinner and National Day, all of it really."

Zelda couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped her lips. Her hand fell from his face.

"I wasn't mad at you. I was mad at my father and the situation," Link broke eye contact and ran his fingers through his hair as if he was frustrated. "And I took out my anger on anything I could because that's what I do, and I'm sorry."

He looked back at her nervously as if expecting her to reject his apology, but Zelda could only smile.

"When did you finally come to your senses?" she asked with a giggle.

Link snorted before turning to fully face her, "During that courting ceremony, actually. I thought of you eventually courting another man, and despite knowing you would be just as miserable with that poor chap as you would with me, my selfishness and I couldn't just let you go."

He reached up to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

"I figured that at least with me, that fire in your eyes wouldn't go out."

Zelda felt warmth fill her at those words. The hope she had lost after the Ordon Harvest Festival so many months ago suddenly returned.

"It was the way you smiled," she said without thinking. "That's why I said yes. You reminded me of the Link I met in Kakariko, the Link I wouldn't actually mind courting."

She looked up into his eyes. Zelda was scared to ask but also feared leaving it unsaid.

"Can we go back to that time? Can we put aside out anger and stop fighting?"

"Yes," Link smiled. "Fighting you is far too exhausting."

"I beg your pardon?" Zelda gasped in mock annoyance. "You are far worse. Dealing with your court this morning was easier than dealing with you alone."

"I beg to differ," he smirked mischievously. "You are more stubborn than is reasonable."

They went back and forth for what seemed like an hour, circling the bonfire and avoid nobles wherever they could. It wasn't until the bonfire's light began to wane that someone came looking for them.

"Your Highnesses," a page called out to them. "The court is preparing to leave."

"Alright, thank you," Link rolled his eyes after the boy left. "I guess we'll have to head back now."

"Yes, I'll be needing some sleep before I head home tomorrow," Zelda yawned.

The walk back to the castle was a quiet one. Zelda found herself leaning more and more on Link's arm as they walked, and by the time they reached her room, she felt dead on her feet.

"Until next time, Zelda?" Link brought her hand to his lips. His brow was quirked in a silent question.

"Until next time, Link."


	4. Water

Now that Zelda had stopped fighting with Link, she threw all her energy into researching ways to get around the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause of the alliance treaty. She faced many dead ends and road blocks, but the image of King Clement's smug face at the Midsummer Bonfire kept her going. Since she was no longer looking for ways to annul the contract outright, it opened many options for her. Zelda was sure that if she worked it right, her parents could pressure the Bathory's enough to extend courtship or even the engagement past her twenty-fifth birthday. Then she would assume the full rights and privileges of the matriarch of House Hyrule and could deal with King Clement one on one as the Head of House Hyrule.

"I don't mean to be rude," Link started one day as he sat with Zelda in the Calatian Royal Library. "But why is it so important that we marry after you're crowned Queen? I know before it was because you didn't want to be seen as unworthy of your title without a man, but we're past that now."

"Not to cause offense," Zelda replied without taking her eyes off the book in front of her. "But it's mainly because I don't want your patriarchy destroying what little is left of the matriarchal tradition of Hyrule."

"Since when did my patriarchy become such a threat?" Link snorted as he idly flipped the pages of the text he was skimming.

"Since that 'King of Two Nations' nonsense your father spouted on your birthday."

Link's head thudded against his book as he let out a muffled wail, "Goddesses, please don't remind me."

It had come as a shock to both of them. During the State Dinner held to honor Prince Link's twenty-second birthday the previous July, King Clement had toasted Link by calling him the Future King of Two Nations. The title had taken off with the court despite Zelda arguing with the King that Link, by Hyrulean law, could not be crowned with the title King of Hyrule. It infuriated Zelda to no end, and Link was thoroughly embarrassed, but there wasn't much they could do besides sit in the Royal Library and research when they really should be out in Calatia City celebrating National Day.

"I don't know what's gotten into my father lately," Link sighed as he stood to grab yet another dusty law book. "First this King of Two Nations nonsense, and then threatening to disown me if I don't marry you. What a Goddess' Day present that was."

"Did he actually make that decree like he threatened?" Zelda finally shut the book in her hands and gave it a nasty look for being utterly useless.

"No," Link rolled his eyes as he searched the stacks. "But I'm sure it's already written up, just waiting to be signed if I step one toe out of line."

"I don't understand why he would go to such extreme measures," she heaved another large book toward her. "This past year of courtship has gone rather smoothly, and we've shown our willingness to be married."

"It's just the time frame, I know," Link let the book he was holding fall to the table with a thud. "I think my father has it in his head that you won't seek to annul the contract if you know my crown is at stake."

"Jokes on him then," Zelda laughed. "I haven't wanted to annul the contract for months."

"Really?" Link moved to stand beside her chair. "So you're fine with being the Queen of Two Nations?"

"Now how fair would it be if I was titled the Queen of Two Nations and you were only King of a Nation and a Half?"

"Ah yes," Link laughed. "King of Half of Hyrule. I'm sure my father would be pleased."

They spent one more fruitless hour in the library before finally heading into the city for the National Day festivities. Zelda enjoyed the celebration much more than she did the previous year, but she couldn't shake the feeling of eyes watching her the whole time.

"We could try appealing to my mother," Link suggested over breakfast the next morning. "I know she's become concerned with Father's erratic behavior as of late. She just may be the voice of reason we need to convince Father to extend the courtship."

"Are you sure she would help us?" Zelda asked. Since the King of Two Nations incident, their Calatian allies in extending the courtship were growing fewer by the day. "Do you really think she holds enough sway to change your father's mind?"

"We can only try," Link shrugged. "I can pull the concerned son card for good measure. 'I don't want Father to push us into an engagement when we're not ready' and all that sappy nonsense."

Zelda started to laugh but was cut off by a knock at the door.

"Enter," Link called.

'Who is that?' she mouthed, but he only shrugged back in confusion.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Your Highnesses," the butler, Haas, Zelda thought his name was, said as he walked in. "But His Royal Highness, King Clement, wishes to speak with Princess Zelda."

Zelda kept her face straight and refused to turn to look at Link, "When will the King be expecting me?"

"Immediately," Haas stated.

"Then I will go with her," Link stood quickly.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," the butler shook his head. "The King requested Princess Zelda's presence alone."

"But there's nothing against my partner escorting me to the King's Study," Zelda smiled pleasantly. "Would you mind walking with me, darling?"

"Of course not, my dear," Link walked around the table to help Zelda out of her chair. "Thank you for the message, Haas. I shall escort the Princess from here."

Haas bowed and left, leaving both of them reeling.

"What could he want on such short notice?" Zelda whispered as if the butler could hear through the closed door.

"Nothing good, I can tell you that," Link looked livid. "But it's best not to keep the King waiting."

They walked to the King's Study quickly, whispering the whole way and speculating what the King could want.

"He's probably just upset that we didn't spend as much time in the city yesterday as we should have," Zelda rolled her eyes. "He would blame something like that on me."

"Then you tell him it was my fault because I wanted some alone time with you," Link smirked. He turned to face her as they stopped in front of the door to the King's Study. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

"I can handle anything," she smirked back at him. "I'm a Future Queen of Two Nations."

"Alright then, Future Queen," Link rolled his eyes. "I'll be in the library when you're done." He gave her a playful shove toward the door, which helped Zelda's nerves a touch.

The butler outside the door announced her presence, and Zelda let her face fall into an emotionless mask. King Clement was sitting at his desk writing, which Zelda knew was just a ploy to make him seem busy.

"You summoned me, Your Majesty," Zelda said as she gave the King a small curtsey.

"Yes, Princess," Clement finished one last flourish on his paper. "I'm glad you could make it."

 _You didn't give me much choice_ , Zelda thought viciously. But outwardly, she smiled.

"Anything for my future father-in-law."

"Your future marriage is exactly what I wished to talk about," Clement smiled in return. "Please, sit down."

She sat down slowly, trying to hide her hesitance. Nothing good could come out of this conversation, especially without Link to back her up.

"I would like your opinion on announcing your engagement to Prince Link here at the Calatian Royal Castle," he started. "I thought it would only be fair considering the courtship was announced in Hyrule, but if you think it would be better to announce it somewhere more neutral, then I would like your opinion."

"I'm flattered you would ask for my opinion," Zelda began slowly. She was unsure of how to word what she wanted to say. "But it seems, er, a bit early to be planning for the engagement announcement?"

"Actually I feel like a year is plenty of time to plan for an event as high profile as your engagement announcement will be," he answered.

Zelda froze; what had he just said?

"I'm sorry," she smiled though it didn't reach her eyes. "But why would the engagement announcement be held in a year? Link and I have only been courting for a year."

"Yes, but it has been two years since the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause has been signed," Clement smiled back, as equally unpleasant as Zelda's. "Which would put the engagement announcement right on schedule."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand," Zelda gave up on pretending to be pleasantly confused. "The contract I signed called for at least three years of courtship before an engagement could be publically announced."

"And you and Link have been courting for a total of two years."

"No, Link and I have only been courting for eleven months; therefore our engagement cannot be announced for two years. That is what the contract specifically said, at your request, Your Majesty."

Clement gave her the 'you foolish child' smile, "It was implied to mean the full duration of courtship, which started when the contract was signed."

"I hate to disagree, King Clement," Zelda tried not to grate her teeth in irritation. "But, by Hyrulean tradition, my courtship to Link did not start until my father approved of it. To suggest that our outings before we were officially courting to be dates is to suggest I had an illicit affair behind my parent's back."

She could see Clement about to make a retort so she pressed on, "It would give my parents grounds to end our courtship and possibly make me ineligible for marriage in the eyes of my court. Neither of us wishes for that to happen, so it is best if we define the courtship as starting at the announcement in Hyrule."

The King smiled ruefully, "It is clear you win this round then, my dear Zelda."

"For the record, when the time comes I would love to hold the engagement announcement in Calatia," Zelda's cheeks were starting to hurt from all the fake smiling.

"I would be honored to hold the event here," he narrowed his eyes. "Eventually."

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" she asked. "If not I would like to spend some more time with Link before I leave after lunch."

"Yes, yes" the King waved his hand flippantly. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Zelda stood and curtseyed. She left the study as quickly as she could and rushed to the library.

"Zelda!" Link's voice sounded from the stacks as soon as she slammed the door shut behind her.

"How was it?" he asked coming up to her. "What did he want?"

"He wanted to plan our engagement announcement for next year."

"Next year?" Link's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But we've only been courting for one year."

Zelda explained everything that happened in the King's Study. Link's face grew progressively angrier, and his fists ended up balled into fists.

"What is that old man trying to do?" he exclaimed. "Why does he care about us getting married so quickly? We already signed a damn contract; what else does he want?"

Zelda felt utterly in shock. At least this fight had been in private, but what if Clement brought up his next attack in public. She and Link wouldn't be able to deny the King without seeming like they didn't want to get married, even though their aim is to simply wait longer than King Clement wished. It felt like there was no way to win and get what they want.

"Hey, Zelda, look at me," Link's voice cut through Zelda's spiral of doubt. "We're going to make it work, alright? I don't care what my father says and does. We will be married after you become Queen."

Link pulled Zelda into his arms to help calm her down.

"Why would you do so much for me?" she asked, her voice muffled by his shoulder.

"I take every chance I can to screw over my father," he laughed.

But Zelda could tell it was more than that. There was something deeper and unspoken hovering between them, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure it out.

* * *

Link and Zelda didn't see much of each other for the next few months. On the rare occasions they did get to spend time together, it was always at formal functions where they couldn't have private conversations. Zelda had a sneaking suspicion it was done on purpose, but she could never prove anything. Their outings were cancelled or moved for perfectly valid reasons. Link had to accompany his father to a diplomatic meeting in Calatia so he couldn't attend Zelda's birthday. The new Foreign Minister of Lorule made a surprise visit to both countries scrambling plans to celebrate Armed Forces Day together in Kakariko. Queen Adalynn came down with a sickness ruining plans to travel to the Royal Hunting Lodge in Hyrule for a hunting trip. It wasn't until July that they finally got some time together before the State Dinner honoring Link's birthday.

"I can't believe this," Link exclaimed as he slammed the door behind him. He had just escorted Zelda up to her usual room in the Calatian Royal Castle, huffing and in an obvious bad mood the whole way.

"First, my father makes up excuses to try and prevent you from coming early, and then they plan to ship us off to the beach for three days," Link pouted slightly, making Zelda laugh.

"What's so bad with getting a little alone time?" she asked. "We haven't been able to talk privately for months, and we certainly haven't been able to make contingency plans for the engagement."

"I know but," Link paused for a second. "We're going to be completely unchaperoned."

"It's about time," Zelda rolled her eyes as she hung up some of her nicer dresses. "I turned twenty last November, a full, legal adult in both our countries mind you, and they haven't let us be alone together since."

"Now you know it's not just because of our age," Link smiled. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Zelda. "They know we're too smart together and don't want us thinking up a way to change the contract."

"At this point, I'm more worried about who 'they' are," she looked up at Link. "But we won't find out who 'they' are if we're alone on a beach, hm?"

"I suppose that's one draw-back," Link smiled nervously.

Their conversation was halted by a knock on the door. A maid entered informing them it was time for dinner, and Link and Zelda reluctantly left to go entertain whatever courtiers stayed for the meal.

The next morning, Zelda felt rushed out of the castle by the maids attending her. They packed her bags for her while she bathed and even brought them out to the carriage while she dressed. Apparently Link had a similar morning because instead of escorting her to the carriage when they met at the front doors, he detoured to the stables so they could choose horses to ride.

"Only two things make me feel better when I'm like this," Link explained in a gruff voice. "But we're being forced out of the castle apparently so I can't use my favorite shooting gallery. Mother hasn't really forgiven me for breaking that one vase anyway."

Zelda frowned as they reached the stable, "I'm hardly dressed for riding."

Link gave her a quick scan, "Yes, you are. That skirt is flowy enough."

"I'm sure this is exactly what my maids had in mind when they picked this out," she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

They entered the stable, and Zelda took in the welcoming, relaxing smell. Stalls lined one side of the building while the wall facing them was almost completely open to a fenced in field complete with a track to exercise and train the horses.

"I've never ridden with your horses before," she said as Link ordered tack and a saddle be brought out for his horse. She walked to the open stall that was closest to her and began stroking the nose of the beautiful red mare standing in it. "Which would you recommend for me?"

"Well most of the horses are well accustomed to multiple riders and styles, so any is—Great Goddesses, what are you doing?"

Zelda froze, "What? What's wrong?"

"Sweet Hylia," the stable hand dropped the saddle he was carrying. "She hasn't kicked you or nothing."

"Do you mean this sweet horse?" Zelda laughed as she resumed stroking the red mare right on the white diamond patch between her eyes. She looked so calm and gentle; Zelda would never guess she would randomly kick strangers.

"That's my horse, Epona," Link said hesitantly.

"The great Epona that lets no one but you anywhere near her?" she asked with raised eyebrows. It took everything in her to not burst out laughing. The look on Link's face was priceless.

Link and the stable hand nodded, never taking their eyes off Epona and the Princess as if they expected to rush in and save Zelda at any moment.

"Then I am honored, Epona," Zelda ignored the men and bowed her head slightly to the horse. Epona whinnied approvingly.

Zelda turned and smirked at Link, "She totally likes me."

He scowled and took the tack from the stable hand, "Go prepare Magnolia for the Princess."

"Yes, Your Highness," the stable hand picked up the fallen saddle and handed it to Link before quickly rushing away.

"Is someone upset they're no longer the only person Epona likes?" Zelda teased as Link began preparing Epona for riding.

"No," he pouted. He threw the saddle on Epona's back a little roughly, making the horse neigh indignantly.

"I think he's upset," she whispered loudly to Epona. She glanced over at Link and saw his scowl deepen. "But I think I've hurt his ego enough today." She patted the horse one last time before going to find her own mount.

The stable hand brought Magnolia, a pure white Calatian Quarter Horse, out for her, and she took the reins.

"She's beautiful," Zelda stroked the horse's neck.

"That she is, Your Highness," the stable hand nodded. "Magnolia, here, is very gentle and won't give you no problems as long as you're kind to her."

"I'll take good care of her," she smiled. Zelda glanced at Link and saw that he was finished readying Epona.

"So are we riding all the way to the beach?" she asked as they walked out of the stable.

"Yes, there isn't much room in the cart anyway," Link said pointedly, obviously still sour about the Epona incident.

"The cart?" she asked. "They can't even lend us a carriage."

Link shook his head as they neared the small covered cart that sat on the drive in front of the main doors.

"A carriage would require a driver and coachman, which violates the completely unchaperoned rule."

"Oh," Zelda paused. She watched Link check the tack that secured the work horse to the cart. They wouldn't even have any servants with them. She had not been expecting that; she didn't think they would be _completely_ alone at the beach. It would be just the two of them for three whole days. That made her feel nervous, like butterflies were flying around in her stomach.

"Are you ready to leave?" Link asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Zelda smiled to hide her sudden nerves.

She gracefully pulled herself up to sit side saddle on Magnolia. They set off at a quick pace, soon leaving Calatia City and entering the grasslands that led into the forest. Zelda took the first opportunity she could to change from riding side saddle. It caused a good sized rip in her skirt ("See, it's not flowy enough, Link"), but she didn't care. The feeling of freedom that came with riding was worth the ruined fabric. Once they left the small forest that ringed Calatia City, they were met with rolling hills filled with only pasture and farmland. The calm air and gentle breeze gave Zelda a sense of peace that eased the last of her nerves away.

They reached the beach just after lunch. As soon as she could smell the salt of the ocean, Zelda leapt from her horse and ran past the small cottage they were staying in straight to the shore, leaving Link to unpack their bags all by himself. She stared at the endless waters, captivated by the way the waves moved and how the light reflected off the surface. She stood there staring at the blue water for ages until Link came up behind her.

"Have you ever seen the sea?" he asked.

"No," she answered quietly. "I've never been to a body of water I couldn't see the other side of."

"It always unsettled my mother," Link said. "She always complained that looking out at the sea with no end made her anxious."

"It makes me feel free," Zelda smiled looking up at Link. "I love the feeling of not knowing what's coming."

"Not having your future planned five years in advance," Link agreed with a chuckle.

"Not having an itinerary for each day."

"Not planning parties for months and months."

"Not having your fiancé chosen for you."

"Well," Link looked down at the Princess. "That one hasn't turned out too bad."

Zelda looked away quickly as she felt her face heat up. Her mind went blank, and her mouth opened to automatically spit out the first thing that came to her head, "I'm getting hungry. How about you?"

"I am hungry now that you mention it," he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Link led them back to the small cottage they were staying at. It was rather modest for a Royal residence, only two bedrooms, two baths, a living room, and a combined kitchen and dining room, but Zelda loved the quaintness of it. She got to work preparing lunch, rambling about how, when she was younger, she would spend time in the castle kitchens when her friends were at school. Though she only made some sandwiches and salad, Link complemented her, making her blush again.

"So what are we supposed to do alone at a beach for three days?" Zelda finally asked as she placed their meal on the table.

"Do you know how to swim?" Link asked as he piled food on his plate.

"Yes, but I'm not very good," she smiled. "I don't get much practice."

"Then we can start with swimming and talk contract ruining later."

"Sounds perfect."

They spent the rest of lunch catching up on gossip from their months apart. Link filled Zelda in on the diplomatic visit that caused him to miss her birthday, Link assured her that his mother had recovered completely from her illness, and they shared points on their meetings with the new Foreign Minister of Lorule.

"What did you think of Minister Yuga? I thought he was a rather suspicious character."

"What? I thought he was a woman!"

Eventually they cleaned up their lunch plates and split off to change for the beach. Zelda stood in front of the mirror in her room for five minutes staring at the outfit the maids had packed for her to wear. She silently agonized over the amount of skin she was showing. The one piece swimsuit had a simple halter strap and continued down to shorts that cut off at her mid-thigh. Bare shoulders and an open back she could deal with, but the shorts were just so _short_. She had never worn anything shorter than a skirt cut off below her knees in public, and the sarong packed with it did little to help with the slit it made when she tied it around her waist. And now she was about to go out with a man dressed like this. It felt scandalous yet exhilarating. She twirled around in front of the mirror again. Her court would die of shock if they ever found out. That thought spurred her on to finally head out the door.

Zelda waltzed out of the cottage with an air of confidence she didn't know she had. She spotted Link already on the beach laying out a blanket. She couldn't help but pause and stare at him. He only had swim shorts and a plain white shirt on, though as he bent to straighten the blanket it slid up his torso a little, which was particularly distracting. But Zelda pushed past that. This outing was about finally forming a plan to bypass the marriage contract. And maybe getting a tan; she thought she was getting a little pale sitting in libraries all day studying. So Zelda continued down to the beach and stopped by Link.

"Are you ready to swim?" she smiled.

"Yes, as long as you are," Link straightened up and paused, blinking owlishly.

"Is there something wrong?" Zelda panicked slightly. Did she put the swim suit on wrong? Did it not look good on her? Goddesses, what was she doing worrying about her appearance in front of Link?

"No, it's nothing just," Link's face grew red. "You look good, no great, amazing, no Goddesses; that's not enough. Sweet Hylia, I'm messing this up; I'm sorry."

Zelda giggled, "I hope you don't flail that much in the water."

"Oh shut it," he shoved her half-heartedly. "Would you like to swim or not?"

"I would love to swim, thank you," she smirked. She untied the sarong from around her waist and dropped it on the blanket.

"Farore, save me," Link's mumble drifted just far enough for her to hear and laugh at. But Link was the one laughing when Zelda slipped and fell straight into the water when she saw Link without his shirt on.

They spent the next couple of hours in the water. Link tried to teach Zelda how to properly swim but failed miserably as Zelda kept getting water up her nose. They stayed in the shallows after that, picking up seashells, having a splash fight, and attempting to tackle each other into the water. Well, Zelda attempted; Link succeeded. As the sun started to sink, Zelda finally pulled herself from the water to grab some parchment and a pen and ink from the cottage.

"We're going to plan out here?" Link ran his fingers through his wet hair.

Zelda's eyes followed its movement for a second before answering, "It's far too nice outside to go in now."

"If you say so, Princess," he rolled his eyes and sat down on the blanket next to her. "Now where to begin?"

"I've thought on this a lot," Zelda started scribbling on the parchment. "And I think the best way to delay the wedding is to delay the engagement. Once the engagement is announced, your father will take no excuses to delay the wedding. We could try, but I think nothing short of a national disaster will stop the wedding plans once we're officially engaged."

"I agree," Link nodded. "Father's behavior is unpredictable at best. So what can we do to delay the engagement? Father's already shown he wouldn't mind that happening early."

"Well, if they keep us apart like they have the last few months it would be easy to say we don't feel ready because we haven't spent enough time together," Zelda suggested.

"Alright, that could work," he shrugged. "And if they suddenly decide we need to spend every possible moment together?"

"We complain about spending too much time together," she continued writing her thoughts. "It's a distraction from work; we're not getting anything done; we're getting sick of each other. There are plenty of excuses."

"So we're spending a decent amount of time together, showing proper affection in public," Link continued. "The Calatian people love you, and the Hylian people tolerate me well enough. What's our excuse then?"

"Hmm," Zelda brushed the end of the quill across her face as she thought. "I could take on more responsibilities from my father in anticipation of becoming the Head of House Hyrule. This could create plenty of excuses of being too busy to go on outings and such."

"A few more responsibilities isn't going to be enough," he pointed out.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Well I'd rather we come up with a solution that doesn't involve us spending less time with each other," Link mumbled.

"There is no better indicator of our relationship than the time we spend together," Zelda smiled sadly. "Not spending time together is the most feasible way to show we're not ready to get married." She looked down at her scribbled page of notes. "If it weren't for all the politics involved, I, I wouldn't mind-"

"Oh Zelda it _is_ you!"

"What?" she looked out to the water and saw one of the last people she expected to see swimming in the ocean. She stood quickly to reach her friend. "Ruto, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I was visiting the Ocean Tribe and decided to soak in the salt water," Ruto explained with a giggle as she swam up to the shore and hugged Zelda. "But whatever are you doing here? I thought you were spending the week in Calatia City."

"Prince Link and I got shipped off to the beach to spend some time together," Zelda gestured back to Link, who sat shocked on the blanket. "Completely unchaperoned, they didn't even spare us a carriage to ride down here in."

"Oh how could they?" Ruto gasped. "And you Hylians can't even swim your way down here. How awful!"

"I know," Zelda rolled her eyes and started leading Ruto to where Link was still sitting. "But the ride was quite nice. Link lent me a Calatian Quarter Horse; you'll have to meet her."

"I'm sorry," Link finally found his tongue. "What is going on?"

"Oh Goddesses, how could I be so rude?" Zelda laughed. "This is Princess Ruto of the Zora, well I guess I should say River Tribe, yes?"

"Yes, sometimes others get confused," Ruto nodded.

"Thank you," Zelda smiled. "And this is Prince Link of Calatia. You would have undoubtedly heard of our courtship."

"Yes," Ruto smiled widely. "I have been dying to meet you, but you weren't at Zelda's birthday celebration."

"Yeah," Link rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Something came up, and it couldn't be avoided."

"I'm sure," Ruto narrowed her eyes at him. She turned to Zelda. "And you're madly in love with him?"

"Publically," Zelda shrugged. "We're really just trying to survive the next few years."

"I completely understand," Ruto nodded sagely. "You wouldn't believe the man my father has set me to marry. He's a complete idiot, just swims around in circles all day."

"Well," Zelda smirked. "At least Link isn't a complete idiot."

"Hey," he yelled indignantly.

"Oh don't take anything by it, Link," Ruto waved her hand dismissively. "Zelda likes to joke to hide her true feelings."

"I resent that," Zelda laughed swatting at Ruto, but the Zora was too quick for her.

"So what have you two been doing all alone out here on the beach?" Ruto plopped herself on the sand next to Link.

"Plotting," Zelda wagged her eyebrows.

"Oh, my favorite," Ruto rubbed her hands together excitedly. "May I offer my expertise?"

"Now that you mention it," Zelda started.

"Wait," Link cut her off. "Is it safe to trust your friend with this information?"

"Please," Ruto rolled her eyes. "Who do you think always told Zelda to never settle for anything less than exactly what she wants?"

"Ruto was practically my older sister growing up," Zelda explained. "Which is exactly why she is the perfect candidate to help us with our timing issue."

"However I am able to assist," Ruto saluted mockingly with a giggle.

"Ruto could give us an excuse to skip outings together," Zelda grinned triumphantly. She starting speaking in a very high pitched voice. "Oh I'm sorry King Clement, Princess Ruto and her father, King Zora, have invited me to an event in the Zora's Domain."

"That is perfect," Link smiled. "But we can't have Ruto cover for us every time."

"Yes, but she can cover for us just enough to make it count," Zelda batted her eyes at Ruto. "With just," Zelda scribbled furiously on her parchment as she did quick math in her head, "three events postponed in a year or eighteen months could force your father to push back the engagement six months."

"And it won't seem suspicious that your Zoran friends keeps inviting you to events on top of ones we've scheduled together?" Link raised an eyebrow.

"Well if you could get out of some events, too, that would be great," Zelda fired back.

"I think I could help with that as well," Ruto smiled. "We Zora have been on rather good terms with the Gorons on Death Mountain for generations. I could pull a few strings with their Chief, Darunia."

"That could actually work," Link nodded, impressed. "We have been needing to visit them ever since the treaty was signed. Calatia needs to work out their own agreement with the Gorons like Hyrule has."

"That's worth at least two postponed dates," Zelda smiled triumphantly. She scribbled a bit more on her parchment and added up her numbers. "Maybe three, and we could stretch them out and postpone the scheduled engagement by two years."

"Good," Ruto flexed her fins. "Postpone marriage for as long as you can, Zelda. It's not as amazing as everyone tells you."

"So everyone says," Zelda rolled her eyes. "But hopefully we can put it off until I am Queen like we originally wanted."

"So that's the reason," Ruto's eyes winked. "I have never been more proud of you, Zelda. Always top, just like I told you."

"No, Ruto, that's not," Zelda's face turned bright red. "It's not like that."

"Sure it is," Ruto winked again.

"Stop," Zelda whined reaching over to try and cover Ruto's mouth or somehow stop her from speaking.

"And you remember all those tips I gave you last year, right?" Ruto teased as she quickly stood to escape Zelda's reach.

"Ruto, stop," Zelda chased her friend around the beach in attempt to silence her. But Ruto just cackled and skipped out of Zelda's reach.

Link finally cleared his throat loudly, and Zelda looked over to see his face was as red as hers.

"It's, ah, it's getting dark if, uh, if you want to," he gestured to the cottage vaguely and trailed off.

"See," Ruto laughed. "Link agrees."

"Ruto!" Zelda screamed in shock and began chasing her again.

Link only rolled his eyes and headed toward the cottage, leaving the girls up to their shenanigans.

The next morning, Ruto dragged Link and Zelda up and down the shore showing them a lagoon filled with coral, a small cave where the water sparkled like diamonds when the light hit it just right, and a sandbar where they spent hours just floating and soaking in the warmth of the sun.

Ruto talked for hours about her own courtship woes, "He's a sculptor. Can you even believe it? Not a warrior or even a scholar but a sculptor. Granted he's one of the best sculptors in the Domain, but I just don't see myself loving him."

Zelda nodded, "I understand." She glanced over to Link who was diving into the deep water just off the sandbar. "If I hadn't thought Link would at least make a comfortable ally, I would have never allowed the marriage contract to be made."

"So there _is_ something between you?" Ruto's eyes lit up.

"Well after the initial bumps, we have become rather good friends," she explained. "He will be a great partner in leading Hyrule."

"But do you love him?" Ruto pressed.

Zelda pursed her lips to stop herself from answering without thinking, "I need to focus on getting past this contract first."

"Uh huh," Ruto didn't sound convinced but didn't press her any further.

Zelda was glad. She wasn't ready to confront her feelings.

When dinnertime finally rolled around, Ruto insisted on going fishing for them and provided enough Staminoka Bass to feed them for the rest of their stay at the beach. She then surprised them with a bottle of Zoran spiced wine. While Ruto prepared the fish, Zelda set the table with silverware and on a whim decided to decorate with some small candles and a few shells they had picked up from the beach.

"So tell me about yourself, Link," Ruto asked as she poured them all a glass of wine. "What makes the Calatian Prince so special?"

"Ruto, you don't have to be so intrusive," Zelda rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.

"No it's alright," Link smiled. "It's a rite of passage, getting approved by the best friend."

"See, he understands," Ruto smirked.

So Link started talking about himself as they ate. Most of it Zelda already knew, but soon he started letting little things slip.

"Well what brought you two together in the first place?" Ruto asked. "Who started this whole marriage idea between you two?"

"That would be my mother," Link responded before drinking some of his wine.

"Really?" Zelda was shocked. "I was going to say my mother."

"Well our mothers were very good friends when they were younger, even though they aren't as close now," Link explained. "They went to the same finishing school in Hyrule and all. So when Mother was pregnant with me, they talked, as women sometimes do, about how lovely it would be if their children fell in love and got married."

"That damn womanly gossip," Zelda chuckled and took another sip of wine.

"I know," Link laughed along. "But at the time Elaina was engaged to be married to Prince Gerrik, so her and Mother's fantasies could actually become reality under the guise of political alliance. And their dreams came true when Zelda was born; she would be a perfect match for young Prince Link. And so it was always there, the potential marriage between Hyrule and Calatia, at the bottom of agendas, at the end of meetings, whenever Hyrule was mentioned basically. Obviously I rebelled against the idea."

"We both did," Zelda added.

"Well, yes, but my rebellion was much more public."

"How scandalous," Ruto chuckled and refilled their glasses. "Do tell."

"I began a relationship with our Court Sorceress."

"No," Ruto gasped. "How naughty. I'm rather impressed."

"There is no social standard for the Court Sorcerer or Sorceress to be celibate in Calatia like there is in Hyrule," Zelda explained quickly.

"But still," Ruto smiled and leaned forward excitedly. "It's a pretty 'bad boy' move."

"Well like I said, I was rebelling," Link shrugged and took a gulp of his drink. "I wanted some measure of control over my life, and Cia was willing."

"Of course she was willing," Zelda rolled her eyes. "She's still obsessed with you and her freaking cherry trees."

"Oh, Hylia," Link groaned. "I'm going to have to suffer through those damn crepes when we get back."

"So it was a bad break-up?" Ruto questioned as she filled Link's glass again.

"Prob'ly the worst in history," he answered, slurring slightly. "She's manipulative and power-hungry and-"

"And a crazy bitch," Zelda muttered a little too loudly, causing Link and Ruto to laugh.

"Alright, I think I can grant you approval now," Ruto smiled and sipped her barely touched glass. "And I should probably get back to the Ocean Tribe. Sleep well, you two."

As Ruto shut the door behind her, Zelda remembered that Zoran wine was almost twice as potent as Hylian-made wine. She stared down at her glass and cursed her best friend. Normally she could take up to four glasses without getting too tipsy, but after just a glass and a half of the spiced wine, she was already feeling light-headed.

"We should probably head to bed," Zelda said slowly so she wouldn't stumble over her words. "We have to pack and head home, I mean, back to the castle tomorrow, so." She trailed off awkwardly. Link nodded, and they walked (or stumbled in Link's case) up the stairs to their rooms.

"Good night," Zelda said before pausing and leaning against the door frame.

Link was looking at her with the intensity of someone trying to solve a complex puzzle.

"What were you going to say?" he finally asked.

"I don't know," she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Before Ruto showed up yesterday," he explained. "You said something with time and if it weren't for some politics or something with the contract. I don't know."

"Oh, that," Zelda nodded. An hour and a glass and a half of wine ago, she would have lied and said she didn't remember, but Zelda was beyond thinking before she talked. "I was going to say that if it weren't for all the politics involved and all this contract business, I wouldn't mind marrying you at all."

Zelda looked up at him and saw realization slowly dawn in his eyes. He took a halting step forward and as if in slow motion, reached out to touch her face. The air around her felt charged with energy, but Zelda couldn't move a muscle, and slowly, yet somehow so quickly at the same time, Link leaned in and kissed her.

It wasn't what she expected. It wasn't magical; fireworks didn't start shooting off in her mind; music didn't start playing nor did flower petals start descending around them. But it did feel good. So good that Zelda almost leaned in for another kiss when Link finally broke away.

"Link," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," he said, a frown overtaking his face. "I'll, I'm sorry."

"Wait," she called after him, but Link had already retreated into his room.

In the morning, Zelda was cursing Ruto three-fold for the pounding headache reverberating through her skull. She walked downstairs to see Link with his head in his arms and a hot cup of coffee next to him.

"I'd say good morning, but there's nothing good about it," Zelda smiled wanly.

"Tell me about it," Link's voice was muffled by the table. "What was in that wine?"

"Zoran wine has a much higher alcohol content than anything made by Hylians," she explained as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "It's a closely guarded secret of theirs that leads to Hylians spilling their guts while being asked embarrassing questions by their Zoran friends."

"Was I really that bad?" Link finally lifting his face slightly so he could see Zelda. "I'm sorry. I swear I'm not normally like that at all."

"Oh I know," she sat next to him. "You did tell us a lot of embarrassing stuff."

"Oh, Farore," Link groaned. "Do I even want to know?"

"Well the worst story was probably the time your mother put a bow in your hair when you were a baby and a visiting dignitary thought you were a girl."

"Din, kill me now," he groaned again as Zelda cackled. "And you're not helping my headache."

Zelda sat silently and sipped her coffee, but couldn't resist asking, "Do you not remember much of last night?"

"The last thing I clearly remember is gushing about Epona and thinking I sound weirdly obsessed with my horse."

"Oh," Zelda frowned. That was pretty early in the night, so Link probably didn't remember kissing her. Why did that disappoint her so much?

She sat in silently for a while thinking far too hard for the pain that was going through her head. Should she bring the kiss up? He had a right to know. But he seemed so regretful afterwards. Would it be better if she just kept it to herself?

"I'm thinking we should just pack up and leave now."

"I'm sorry?" Zelda reined in her thoughts.

"We aren't going to go out and swim with these headaches," Link shrugged. "So we might as well start heading back to the castle."

"Alright," she nodded then winced.

As she packed up, Zelda dreaded the inevitable awkward silence that would surely take up the whole of the ride back. It made her think of that feeling, that ineffable thing she had felt back on National Day. Could it be? No, she still wasn't ready for that.

Zelda took one last glance toward the sea before mounting Magnolia for the ride back to Calatia City. She would really miss the water.


	5. Shadow

"And then he offered us some rock sirloin for dinner," Link laughed. "Which Father didn't find too funny, but I thought it was hilarious."

Zelda laughed along, "Yes, I remember Darunia doing that with us. Father joked about not wanting to break his teeth, and I swear Darunia caused a rock fall with his laughter."

They were aimlessly walking around the May Day celebrations in Castletown. Children were dancing around maypoles, and shops were selling their wares. People had poured into Castletown from around the country to attend the festivities and celebrate the beginning of spring.

"So our plan is working perfectly," Zelda smiled. "Ruto gave me an excuse to skip Hylia's Day, and your trip to Death Mountain proved successful as well."

"Father's still fuming that you canceled our Hylia's Day date," Link rolled his eyes. "I think he was expecting some big romantic event to happen, and you just ran off to the Zora's Domain."

Zelda laughed again, "Ruto would be proud. So how was the rest of your trip? Did you get any treaties or agreements down?"

"Well the whole of the conversation, I swear, was about trade," Link began with an irritated sigh.

They continued to walk and talk for hours until the announcement of the May Queen, a young woman native to Koholint Island named Marin.

"Will I be able to see you?" Link asked in a low voice as they walked up the gravel drive back to the castle. "After dinner, I mean."

Zelda glanced at him and saw that subtle spark in his eyes. She looked forward so as to not seem suspicious.

"At such a late hour?" she teased. "It would be inappropriate."

"Well others needn't know," he leaned in and whispered in her ear.

Zelda couldn't keep the smile off her face, "How scandalous, Prince Link."

"Please, we haven't gotten to spend time alone in months," Link pulled them to a stop just inside the entrance hall.

"I've missed you, too," she turned to face him. She wanted to say more, like how she had grown to hate not seeing him at least once every month, but she bit down on her tongue.

"So can I see you later tonight?" Link asked again, that spark of excitement shining in his eyes again.

"Yes," she breathed. Link was quick to kiss the smile on her face.

She had been getting a lot more of those recently. At first, it was a simple kiss when they were caught under some mistletoe at the Goddess' Day Eve Party. Then it was a lingering kiss at New Year's. Soon it was kisses on the cheek instead of on the hand whenever Link greeted her, and hugs were now accompanied by a soft kiss on her forehead. It always caused a little trill to skitter through her stomach. She loved being so close to Link, now, and that truly scared her more than anything.

That night, after the castle had grown quiet, Zelda donned her Sheikah armor, cloaked herself in magic, and left her rooms via the window to meet Link. He had sent a message to her saying he would wait in the small courtyard near the Grand Hall, and Sheik quickly made her way there.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Link smirked when Sheik landed softly beside him.

"Apologies, Your Highness," Sheik bowed mockingly. "I was under the impression you appreciated a blue-eyed Princess more."

"Yes," Link pulled Sheik into his arms. "But my blue-eyed Princess never wears tights like this."

Sheik laughed as Link spun her around and pulled her cowl down from her face.

"How do you even color your eyes?" he asked as they settled down on a nearby bench. "I know it's magic, but how does that work?"

"Have you never been taught the ways of magic before?" Sheik asked.

"No," Link shook his head. "There is only a branch of the Academy in Lake Town, but I've never even been there."

"You should come observe my magic studies with Lana tomorrow then. Lana studies all forms of magic; she could answer your questions better than I."

Link nodded, "Well how have you been faring? Did you end up telling your mother our plan?"

"Yes," Sheik rolled her eyes. "She was asking even more suspicious questions when the letter arrived saying your visit to the Gorons would happen on top of that stupid flower festival. I had to tell her eventually. She berated me for acting so sneakily in opposition against a signed contract and the good will of the Calatian Royal Family and blah, blah, blah."

Link laughed at that.

"But after five minutes of that, she started offering me ideas of how to skip other engagements. Can you believe it? She even mentioned going and visiting my grandparents at their country home. My grandfather has apparently been 'off-color' for a time, according to my uncle."

"That's perfect though," Link exclaimed. "We can make this work, Zel. You're going to be Queen by the time we marry, I swear it."

Sheik could feel the blush rise in her cheeks and was glad it was dark enough Link wouldn't see. They sat and talked for hours, and it wasn't until Sheik's sharp eyes saw the sky lightening with the coming dawn that they finally parted. Zelda didn't mind only getting a couple hours of sleep; she would simply cover the dark circles under her eyes with tinted cream so others wouldn't know.

On her way to breakfast, Zelda sent a message to Lana stating Prince Link might join them for their magic studies to observe, which caused Lana to interrupt her while she was eating.

"You won't have to teach him anything," Zelda soothed Lana's worries. "He was just curious about magic, so I invited him to watch us study this morning."

"Oh, but what if I mess up?" Lana ran her fingers through her blue hair.

"You won't. You're one of the highest orders of Sorceresses, you mastered advanced constructs in half the time normal magicians do, and you graduated from the Academy and received a court appointment before you turned twenty. There is nothing for you to fear."

"Yes, but Cia wasn't that far behind me in schooling," Lana grumbled.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Zelda asked as a maid entered to take her half-eaten plates away.

"I, well, I never wanted to say this, but it's not that big of a deal, it's all in my head really."

"What, Lana?"

"I've just been scared that Prince Link might not like me since the only interactions he's had with a Sorceress have been with Cia."

"Link isn't like that," Zelda hugged her friend. "And he knows I've had nothing but good things to say about you. You're one of my best friends, and Link knows that; he knows that I trust you."

"Alright, alright," Lana shook her head. "I knew it was all in my head anyway. Let's go study some magic."

Lana raced through the hallways with renewed energy, and Zelda raced after her, running and laughing in a most un-princess-like manner.

They were in the empty training hall they normally used for about twenty minutes before Link showed up.

"What took you so long?" Zelda jokingly called out to him as she wielded her Light Bow against one of Lana's constructs.

"It took me a while to wake up," Link smirked. "I had a late night, you know."

"And yet you don't hear me complaining," Zelda smirked back. She let the Light Bow go, and it dissipated into a million bright sparks.

"Woah," Link gasped.

"I would have thought being in a relationship with Cia would have caused you to at least recognize magic when you see it," she teased.

"We, uh, didn't ever do much talking," Link muttered, his face turning a bright shade of red.

Zelda snorted, "Why would I think anything different?"

"I'm glad you could join us, Prince Link," Lana smiled as she reached them. "Princess Zelda says you are curious in the basic concepts of magic."

"Yes, I've never had any sort of training in the magical arts."

"Then, I would be happy to answer any questions you have," Lana beamed.

"Not everyone can perform magic," Zelda began. "The Academy has researched for generations why one person is able to wield it and another is not. All that is known now is that magic can be passed from father to son, mother to daughter, and that the affinity one has to magic itself may vary. The Royal Family has always had a strong affinity with magic."

Zelda summoned her power and manifested small, shining gold orbs around her. Link's eyes widened in surprise.

"I specialize in Light Magic. It comes quite naturally to me, though it is thought to be one of the most temperamental branches of magic."

"Why is that?" Link asked.

"It takes someone with a pure heart to wield Light Magic," Lana answered. "Not very many have that kind of pureness."

"I am also a descendant of the Princess of Destiny," Zelda added. "It was said she wielded a piece of the Triforce, and that power is passed down through her daughters."

"Ah, yes," Link rolled his eyes. "Hyrule and its mystical Triforce."

"Don't make fun," Zelda sent one of the orbs to pop into sparks in front of Link's face. "Soon this country will be partially yours."

"Yes, yes," Link swatted the air in front of his face. "So how do you do," he waved his hands around, "this magic thing?"

"With the strength within," Lana answered. "Your own energy must fuel the magic, which is why some find magic more difficult than others."

"So using magic makes you weaker?"

"If used excessively, yes," Lana nodded.

"That is why sorcerers must train their bodies every day," Zelda added. "I'll have you know, I am much stronger than I look."

"And I won't forget," Link winked. "But what type of magic do you use, Lana?"

"Electricity, the power of lightening, and I can form constructs," she smiled. She summoned orbs much like Zelda had, but these sparkled and cracked with barely tamed electricity.

"How do you even begin to learn such magic?" Link asked. His eyes gleamed with a desire to learn. "Like, could I learn to do that?"

"Well, as with all things, it seems that magic is easier to learn when one is younger," Lana explained. "But if you have any capacity for magic, you could learn, Your Highness."

"Would you like to try, Link?" Zelda held her hand out.

"No, I think I'll leave the magic to the experts," he waved Zelda off. "But I would like to stay and watch if that's okay."

"Absolutely," she smiled.

"Would you like to continue working with the Light Bow, Zelda?" Lana suggested.

"Yes, I need to assess the energy drain more," Zelda resummoned the Light Bow and pulled the glittering string to a draw. As she did, an ornate, golden arrow materialized within her grasp. Zelda held the bow and arrow for a second before sighing and dropping her stance and lowering the bow.

"That arrow would not have lasted ten feet," she shook her head. "I'll need to train more if I want to use this bow effectively."

"Well don't let me interrupt you," Link smiled. "Please go on with your training."

"Don't worry," Zelda smirked. "I hardly noticed you were there in the first place."

Zelda and Lana continued to study and train for the rest of the morning. They broke for lunch, which Link and Zelda shared in the private dining room.

"It's amazing, how you can just make something out of thin air like that," Link smiled between bites of food. "I could never be able to do that."

"I think you could though," Zelda pointed her fork at him. "I sense potential in you. With some training, even at your age you could learn magic."

"No, I couldn't," he shook his head. "I think magic is far beyond my abilities."

"Well if you ever change your mind, let me know," she smiled. "I would be happy to teach you."

* * *

The summer passed in a blur, which was both a blessing and a curse. Zelda was busy picking up even more duties from her father. By July, Zelda was sitting in her father's place in council meetings at least twice a week. Toward the middle of August, she was the King's proxy at court almost every single day. She was taking twice as many classes over law and law enforcement and Hyrulean history. Zelda was so busy with Crown Princess duties that she hardly even had time to miss Link. But when she did, it was a genuine ache in her chest. Link had become one of her best friends, her greatest confidant, and now she couldn't even write him; they had to keep up their ruse of detachment going in any way possible. And Zelda hated it. She hated feeling so helpless, so dependent on another person, but what she hated more was being away from Link. So she threw herself into her work, and the vicious cycle began.

It wasn't until September that Zelda got to see Link again. In the weeks leading up to the Autumn Equinox, she felt this anticipation building up inside her. Her heart felt lighter, and she was smiling for seemingly no reason at all. It took her until six days before the trip to Calatia to realize it was because she would be seeing Link soon. Zelda froze at her desk once she realized it. She actually wanted to talk with Link, to tell him about her day, to hear about his. She wanted to sit close with him and hold his hand and maybe receive more of those kisses he was so fond of giving.

So Zelda spent the next few days packing and trying to downplay how excited she was to see Link again. Of course Lana and Alice, her maid, saw right through her, and her parents asked her why she was smiling to herself and never paying attention at dinner.

It was stupid. Zelda felt stupid, but for some reason, she loved the light, fluttery, butterflies-in-her-chest feeling that came whenever she thought of Link.

"Well I'm glad for you," Lana smiled as she passed a pair of heels to Zelda, which she neatly packed into a suitcase. "You've really grown since you signed that contract three years ago."

"Has it really been three years?" Zelda mused as she packed another pair of heels into the bag. "It's doesn't feel that long at all."

"And it'll be longer still," Lana shook her head. "It's still four years until you turn twenty-five, and you don't want to get married until then."

"Well more like two years," Zelda pointed out. "The contract dictates a minimum two year engagement."

"Do you really think you can extend your courtship two whole years?" Lana asked.

"Of course," Zelda smiled. "Our plan is working perfectly. And Link promised we wouldn't get married until I'm Queen."

"It's amazing that you believe in him so much," Lana smiled back. "The Zelda I knew three years ago would never been that trusting of a Prince."

"Three years ago I wouldn't have been trusting of a man in general," Zelda rolled her eyes. "But Link is different. He somehow earned back my trust after breaking it, which I never would have thought possible. But we're stuck together aren't we? Might as well make the most of it, right?"

"It seems like you're doing more than making the most of it," Lana teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zelda laughed airily as she closed the lid of the suitcase.

"Oh really?" Lana planted her hands on her hips with a huff. She reached over and threw open the suitcase filled with shoes and the one next to it that was filled with dresses.

"Your nicest dresses, your finest shoes, including the heels you hate but always get complements on. You don't dress up this much for the Goddess Day Ball."

"I don't know what you mean," Zelda huffed as she quickly reached over to close the suitcases.

Lana only rolled her eyes, "Sure, Zelda."

On the day she was due to leave for Calatia, Zelda stacked books and papers and reports on the extra seat in the carriage fully intending to work during the two day trip. But of course, she spent the whole first leg of the trip staring out the window with an unread book opened in her lap and thinking about the ride back from the beach after Link had kissed her for the first time. She had finally told Link about the kiss as he walked her back to her room after his birthday celebration. He was so dumbstruck; the face he made still had Zelda laughing as she sat in the carriage. Eventually she got out and rode a horse just for a change of pace, but it only reminded her of the rides she would take with Link. She actually missed Magnolia, the white Calatian Quarter Horse that she had essentially adopted as her own whenever she was visiting Calatia.

All in all, the ride was excruciatingly long for Zelda.

When she finally arrived at the castle in Calatia City, she was greeted by a full formal greeting party, which included ceremonial soldiers and the King and Queen waiting on the top steps in front of the entrance.

Zelda sat shocked until Link's face appeared in the window on the door.

"What the hell?" she whispered as he opened the door.

"Just go with it," he muttered and fixed a stony smile on his face.

Zelda followed suit, easily falling into the Crown Princess mask she had all but perfected over the long summer.

"Your Majesties," Zelda curtsied. "To what do I own this esteemed pleasure?"

"We are hosting a feast tonight," Queen Adalynn explained. "We apologize for not sending notice, but it was all very last minute. Our whole court insisted on celebrating as soon as possible."

Zelda felt Link stiffen beside her.

"Celebrate what?" she asked.

"It's a surprise," King Clement smiled with little light behind his eyes. It sent a chill down Zelda's spine.

Link was silent as he escorted her up to her usual room. Zelda could tell he wasn't happy, but it wasn't safe to ask about it just yet.

Instead she asked, "What do I need to prepare for?"

"Dress for battle," he answered with a hard glint in his eye.

And so Zelda arrived at the top of the grand staircase a few hours later in her finest dress and adorned in her grandest Hyrulean jewels. From Link's mood, she could tell this feast would be worse than any court she had ever attended in Calatia. She would carry herself like the Queen she would soon be and not let anything these vicious courtiers say get to her.

"You look beautiful," Link greeted her with a genuine smile at the bottom of the stairs. It was the first warmth she had seen in him all day.

"I don't take battle lightly," she smirked at him. That caused a chuckle to escape his stony exterior.

"Any other warnings before we go in?" Zelda asked as they reached the door to the Grand Hall.

"Don't believe anything they say," he said, the stony mask quickly falling over his face again.

"Done."

Zelda let her face grow impassive as the doors opened, and they were announced. She was seated to Link's right, a change from the more appropriate place at the Queen's left, but Zelda ignored the slight snub. At least she would have Link at her back for when the verbal warfare began.

But the courtiers were different than normal during the feast. The women complemented her without any backhanded insults, many commented on how perfect she and Link looked together, and some of the men even went far enough to ask for her opinion on the matters they were discussing, and they didn't scoff or make fun of her remarks. Zelda was shocked, but then she remembered Link's warning. 'Don't believe anything they say.' The court was faking their pleasantries, but why? She started looking closer. It was the Duchess sitting three seats down and across the table that finally gave Zelda a clue. The Duchess leaned over to whisper something to the woman next to her when Link leaned close to remind Zelda of some random minister's name. And it kept happening. Zelda saw looks and gossip being exchanged when Link touched her elbow to warn her that another plate was about to be served before them. Someone even giggled when Link passed her the cherries off his cheesecake during dessert.

And that wasn't even the strangest thing. At first she thought it was the men drinking too much, acting far too sleazy, and staring at her breasts as they were wont to do even while sober, but Zelda noticed some women doing it. That's when she realized they were staring at her hands. Rather intently too. There was more than one person who tracked their movement as she lifted food to her mouth or took a drink. She could tell Link noticed, too, since his jaw tightened each time someone gazed for more than a second at her hands.

It was more than a little weird for Zelda, and she quickly took the excuse of a long day of travel to skip the usual after dinner coffee and conversation. Anything to get away from the prying eyes of court. She finally felt the tension leave her when they reached her room. She left the door open so Link could enter after her.

"So what was that all about?" Zelda smiled, trying to play off her nervousness.

"What do you mean?" Link responded in kind.

So it was going to be like that then. Zelda turned away to take off her jewelry.

"All the over the top niceties, the excessive gossiping, and they kept staring at my hands."

"Oh, that," he deflected again.

"Link, what's going on?" she skewered him with a glare. "What are you not telling me?"

"My father," he huffed and hesitated. "My father has planned to announce our engagement on the equinox."

"I'm sorry, what?" Zelda felt as if the world had stilled. No, she hadn't heard correctly. This incessant ringing was making her hear things.

"That's what this feast was about, why the court was being so nice to you," Link explained. "The bastard let it slip that the announcement would be soon, and they've been like rabid dogs for any information."

"But he planned the engagement?" Zelda couldn't get past it. After all their scheming, King Clement had just done what he wanted anyway. "We didn't even consent."

"I know, Zelda. I'm so sorry," Link hung his head.

"Did you do anything to stop it?" Zelda felt her voice growing high like it did when she was about to cry.

"I," he hesitated again. "I couldn't, Zelda. It was too fast, and he ordered me; I, I didn't have a choice."

"So you did nothing?" The tears dried up and were quickly replaced with anger. "After everything we've done for the last two years, you just let it fall to nothing. All that time we gave up was for nothing."

"I can't disobey my King, Zelda." Link fired back. "He shoved the damn ring in my hand and told me to get down on one knee or he would take my crown."

"That's an empty threat and you know it," Zelda spat. "You were willing to defy contracted law, but now that your father yells at you some, it's a different story."

"It's not like that-"

"I know exactly what it's like," Zelda yelled, unable to stop the words from spilling from her mouth. "You are a weak Prince, and you will be a spineless King. Now get out of my chambers."

He opened his mouth to protest one more time, but Zelda would have none of it.

"You broke your promise, Link. Just leave me alone."

Link sent her one last withering look before turning and storming out of the room.

Zelda stood still for a long time, half hoping that Link would come back and say he had fixed everything, and half hoping she would never set eyes on him again. But obviously neither of those things would happen, so Zelda turned and got ready for bed. Her fury had cooled some, but her mind was still going in angry circles. Link had every chance to warn her while they were alone before dinner. She could have acted differently during the feast, been unnecessarily cold to him and let the rumors of an imminent, happy engagement die amidst the court. Literally anything would have been better than what actually happened.

After two hours of tossing and turning, Zelda got up and decided to meditate instead. At least one of Impa's hundreds of calming techniques had to help her fall asleep. She slipped on a robe so she wouldn't get too cold, and closed her eyes to center herself. Zelda cast out her mind, reaching down into the old roots of the castle. There was sorrow and despair, leftover from the bloody wars of Calatia's past, but there was also a well of ancient magic. Royal Castles were usually built on a magical nexus of some sort, and though it wasn't as deep or ancient as the one under Hyrule's Royal Castle, Zelda could make do. She made herself at home in the magic, watching it swirl and dance around her. She was almost calm enough to end her meditation when she noticed a dark shadow, a tainted part of the well. Zelda went closer and recognized the heaviness settling over her chest. Dark magic. She wrapped herself in light magic as protection before venturing closer. Who would go so far as to taint this ancient magic with their darkness? Were they drawing on the well for power? Zelda was close enough to feel the suffocating pressure of the darkness when she saw glimpses of a purple staff, white hair, and tanned skin. Cia, the Sorceress. Her dark aura was overpowering; it was all Zelda could do to keep her light barrier up to protect herself. There was a burst of maniacal laughter, a wall of dark magic that barreled over Zelda, and she opened her eyes to see her bedroom.

Then she heard the screams.

Something was wrong, Zelda knew it. She scrambled to put on the nearest suitable clothing she could find, a pair of riding pants and a tunic and jacket. She cursed as her fingers fumbled with the buttons and ties. Something bad was happening, and she couldn't get out there fast enough. Once she had wrestled on some boots, Zelda flung open the door and hurried toward the sounds of screams and crashing decorations. As she got closer, she finally started to make out the sound of squealing and grunts, Bokoblins, and screeches and chinking armor, Lizalfos.

How did they get into the castle? Zelda's mind raced. That wave of dark energy she had felt before, could Cia have cast some sort of spell? Zelda rounded a corner and came face to face with the monsters. Only then did she realize she had no weapons, but there was no time to go grab any. There were too many monsters and not enough soldiers. So Zelda acted instinctively when a Bokoblin charged at her. Magic flared around her, and she struck at the monster with a ball of golden light. It dazed the Bokoblin enough for a soldier to quickly come and deal the final blow. Zelda repeated this pattern of knocking out the monsters to the soldiers could dispose of them until they cleared the hallway.

Zelda turned to the highest ranking solider she could find and quickly asked, "Where is Prince Link?"

"Last I heard he was down by the main entrance, Your Highness," he answered gruffly. "All the monsters are trying to get out, not in. Strange isn't it?"

"Yes, very strange," she responded absently as she started moving toward the grand staircase.

"Wait, Princess, let me send some soldiers to protect you."

"No need," she called as she wrenched open a door and sprinted toward the main entrance.

The monsters were trying to get out which meant they were summoned inside the castle. How could they let something so irresponsible happen? How could they let their Court Sorceress have so much freedom to bring down the castle wards and summon dark monsters right under their very noses? Treatment of magic was going to get a major overhaul when she became Queen here, Zelda decided furiously.

Finally she reached the grand staircase and started tearing down the stairs. She almost reached the second floor when an Aeralfos dive-bombed her with a screech. Zelda pitched forward and almost tumbled down the stairs before grabbing onto the handrail attached to the wall. She was already low on energy from fighting earlier, and the Aeralfos' shield would prevent her from attacking it with the same light energy she had knocked the Bokoblins out with. Zelda knew it would be risky, but she held her hand up to summon her Light Bow. The power drain was instantaneous, and she reached down to tap into the ancient magic deep below the castle. It was heavily tainted with darkness now and drawing it up to use was like drinking through a clogged straw, but it was the only thing Zelda could do. The Aeralfos shrieked at the bright light of the Bow and dived at her again, waving its sword. Zelda fired her Bow, but the Aeralfos brought its shield up at the last second. The arrow only left a dark gash in the reinforced wood. Two more arrows had the same effect. She fired again as the monster lowered its shield to shriek again. The Aeralfos tried to dodge, but the arrow grazed its wing causing it to fall. Zelda readied another arrow, already feeling the power draining in the weapon. She had to take this monster out soon, or she would pass out from exhaustion. She aimed the arrow right at the Aeralfos' head, but the arrow had less power behind it than a punch. Zelda pulled harder on the ancient magic, willing more to flow through her so she could continue to fight.

Suddenly, an arrow, a real one, not a magic one, flew past her into the Aeralfos. Another quickly followed, killing the Aeralfos before it had time to give one last screech. Zelda whipped around to see Link lowering his bow. His eyes were filled with fire and anger, and he had a sword strapped to his back, and she couldn't take her eyes off him. Zelda didn't realize how close to collapsing she was until he caught her in his arms.

"What in the name of the Goddesses were you thinking?" his voice seemed hollow and far away to her ears, even though he must have been yelling. "Using that bow when you know it drains your energy so much, what's the matter with you?"

"Had to help," she murmured thickly. Her eyelids felt heavy.

"Course you did," he sounded exasperated. It almost made Zelda giggle, then she realized how out of it she must be. She must have really drained herself too much using the Light Bow.

"We need to get out of here," Link was talking again. "The monsters are all over the castle. It's not safe here. Come on."

He lifted Zelda enough so she could lean on him and walk.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Will you be alright?"

"I just need," she gasped. Her chest was tight; she couldn't take a full breath. "Need to get away. I can't. The darkness, dark magic."

"I understand," Link nodded and started shouting orders that Zelda happily zoned out. She just needed to get away from the dark magic surrounding the castle, then she could recover properly.

"Stay with me Zelda, come on," Link murmured so only she could hear. "We're almost in the town. Will you be fine there?"

"Should be," Zelda nodded.

She didn't know how they made it out of the castle, but soon Link was setting her down in the front room of an inn. A few soldiers filed in after them, and a cup of tea was thrust into her hands.

"Is this a good resting place?" Link asked as he pulled up a chair next to her. "We're back up against the city wall, as far from the castle as we could get without leaving the city."

"Yes," Zelda nodded after taking a long drink of tea. "I can already breath better. Thank you." She looked up at Link. The fire had dulled in his eyes some, replaced with something she'd say was concern if they hadn't just had a huge fight earlier.

Was that fight really only a few hours ago? It felt like it had been days since Link told her about the surprise engagement announcement.

More soldiers entered the inn. They asked questions and shouted answers back. The little bubble around Link and Zelda popped as food was sat before them and a commander began talking to Link.

"They seemed to be coming from the dungeons, but there were so many we couldn't confirm," the commander briefed them. "We still don't know how they could have gotten down there in the first place."

"They were summoned," Zelda spoke up. "Probably through a portal created out of dark magic."

"Who would have the power to do such a thing?" some captain asked. "Doesn't that take a really powerful wizard?"

"Sorceress," Zelda corrected. She looked up at Link and the commander. "It was Cia. I felt her channeling dark energy and release it in a wave so large it could only have been a spell of some kind."

"No, Cia is the Court Sorceress," the commander smiled. "She wouldn't do something like that. She works for the King."

"No, Commander," Link frowned. "Cia would. I believe Princess Zelda. She has more training in magic than all of us here combined."

"Then how do we stop her?" the commander asked.

"I don't have the strength to fight her," Zelda sighed. "It could take me days to regain my full strength at this rate."

"Then we can go somewhere else," Link stood. "Lake Town, or Goron City. We aren't that far from the mountains."

"At the rate these monsters are spawning, it won't be safe on foot, Sir," the commander shook his head. "And the horses were let loose to save themselves."

"Link, I don't think-" Zelda started but was cut off by a deafening shriek.

Everyone froze. The shriek reverberated in their bones and echoed in their heads long after it had ended.

"Gibdos," someone swore once they had been shaken from their shocked state.

"Someone start a fire," the commander yelled. "Protect the Prince and Princess."

"No, Commander," Link reached around to grab Zelda as another shriek rang out. "Protect the citizens. I'll take Princess Zelda, and we'll find someplace to hide. I'll send Epona back with a message when we're safely hidden."

"But, Sir," the commander protested.

"That's an order. Keep my people safe."

"Yes, Your Highness," the commander saluted before turning and shouting orders at the soldiers that had gathered at the inn.

"Wait, Link," Zelda called as Link practically dragged her out of her chair and out of the inn. "Where are we going?"

"When I was younger, there's was this cave I would stop in when I would go out riding." They raced out of the city gate and down the sloping lawn that had once hosted the Midsummer Bonfire so long ago.

"But we don't have a horse."

"Epona will hear me," Link smiled and whistled a short tune.

Within minutes, Epona was racing toward them. Link helped her on the mare bareback before getting on behind her, and together they raced through the night to the woods.


	6. Spirit

The silence was deafening. Zelda didn't know if she should say something. Link hadn't said anything since they arrived at the small cave. He had mechanically helped her off Epona and started a small fire before sending Epona back to the castle and sitting across the fire from her. Which is where he still was, nearly two hours later.

It was awkward. Zelda didn't know where to look. The fire was too bright, and it had begun to rain, so the stars were obscured. She was practically alone with her thoughts, questions tumbling around in her head. She looked up at Link. He had a look of deep thought across his face.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered more to herself than to Link. But he heard her anyway.

"Nothing," he shifted nervously, avoiding her eyes.

"It doesn't seem like nothing," Zelda scoffed. Why was he always like this?

"Fine," Link huffed back, sending her a glare. "I was thinking about how you needlessly put yourself in danger to fight that Aeralfos."

"Excuse me?" she gasped before glaring back. "I don't know why I'm surprised. Of course you would find some way to insult me when I risked my life to get to you. I don't even know why I even talk to you anymore; this is always the outcome."

"Ah, I see we've regressed three years," he retorted sarcastically. "You're back to assuming everything I say is a jab at you."

"Well until recently, that was actually true."

"I'm on your side, Zelda," Link yelled. "I was in the middle of a shouting match with my father when the monsters struck. I was doing everything I could to get him to move the engagement, but you don't even care."

"Of course I care," Zelda shouted back. "I ran halfway around the castle helping your soldiers and trying to find you."

"Well you should have stayed in your room. I was on my way to get you. If you had just stayed, you wouldn't have nearly died trying to use a magic bow."

"That magic bow took out at least twenty bokoblins, thank you very much."

"Yes, but if you at least had a decent weapon, -"

"A decent weapon?"

"A non-magic weapon, then, you wouldn't have been in the same danger. You almost died, Zelda!"

"Why do you care so much?" Zelda roared. "Why would you even come back for me? Why would you save me like you did?"

"Why do you care so much?" Link snapped back.

"Because I'm in love with you, you idiot!"

The tension evaporated instantly. The anger between them disappeared, and the air seemed to cool around them. They didn't know when they had gotten to their feet or moved closer to each other over the dying embers of the fire. Link took a step back, his eyes blown wide.

Zelda couldn't believe what she had just said; her hands flew up to her mouth as if she could feel the words on her tongue. She had never realized, but at once she knew it was true. Goddesses above, she loved Link. A smile spread over her face, hidden by her still raised hands, as she took in Link's shocked expression.

"What did you just say?" he asked quietly.

"That you're an idiot," she giggled, lowing her hands slightly.

"No, before that," Link gapped like a fish out of water. "You, you love me?"

"Yes," she smiled wider before a chilling thought hit her. "Do you not-"

Suddenly Link's lips were on hers, cutting off her question of doubt. He was kissing her. It was nothing like their first kiss, all awkward and embarrassing in front of the Goddess Day Eve partygoers, and it was different from the short, sweet kisses he would sometimes give her. Zelda could feel the desperation and the apology hidden in the kiss. Link pulled away quickly and rested his forehead against hers. Zelda held her breath.

"I love you, too," he finally breathed, and Zelda couldn't help but laugh.

"We're both idiots," she said.

"Well how else would we realize we love each other if not by fighting?" Link laughed with her. "I think it's quite fitting."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Zelda looked up into his eyes. "Earlier, before the monsters appeared. I shouldn't have been so hash with you; your father is your King before being your parent. The same thing could have happened to me, and I would have had no choice."

"You were right though," Link protested. "I should have done more. I should have warned you somehow or tried harder to change Father's mind."

"But you did try. After we fought, you said you went straight to King Clement to try and fix everything."

"I could have done that earlier," Link ran his fingers through his hair. "Hell, anything would have been better than throwing the ring box in the moat."

"You threw my engagement ring in the moat?" she laughed.

"I was just so angry," he laughed along. "Father cornered me while I was patrolling the castle wall. He told me that the engagement was to occur within the four days you were here. I was so angry I couldn't speak, so I just chucked the ring into the moat and stormed away. Probably not the best thing."

"No, probably not," Zelda smiled. "I'll want a new ring by the way. Who knows what that water could do to the metal?"

"So you would?" Link's eyes shown with a hopeful glint. "You would want to get married?"

"Yes," she reached up on her tip toes to give him a quick kiss. "But I still want to wait until after my twenty-fifth birthday. Is that alright?"

"Of course it's alright. My father will just have to deal with it."

A far off neigh cut off their laughter.

"That has to be Epona," Link hurried out of the small cave.

"How can you be sure?" Zelda asked anxiously. She was still warry from the fight in the castle earlier.

"Only Epona would know the way here, and she wouldn't show the way to anyone she didn't trust."

"You have a lot of faith in your horse."

"She's a very smart horse."

Link whistled the short tune he used to call Epona to his side, and soon enough the red mare was nuzzling her head close to Link's.

"Hello, beautiful," he smiled and rubbed Epona's neck, her coat still wet from the soft rain outside. "Do you have a message for us?"

She nickered and turned so that the saddle bags she was carrying were visible.

"Look, your Royal Seal," Zelda pointed to a hunter green tube embossed with the Bathory Royal Seal in gold. "That's a courier's letter container, isn't it?"

"A royal courier's at that," Link grabbed the tube and pulled out a letter. He read the note quickly, his eyes hardening the longer he did. "We need to go back."

"To the castle?" Zelda attempted to look at the letter, but Link had already folded it up. "Are you sure it's safe? And it's not a trap?"

"I'd recognize my mother's handwriting anywhere." Link doused what was left of the fire and turned to face her. "My father is dying."

* * *

They were rushed to the King's Quarters, which Zelda felt wasn't a good sign. Surely he would be in the infirmary if there was a chance of saving him. They were greeted by a solemn Queen Adalynn.

"Thank you for coming quickly," she opened the door wider so they could enter. "Clement went straight to the grounds to close the castle, but we realized too late that the monsters were coming from the inside. Our defenses weren't made to point toward the castle, so there were many unfortunate losses."

"But Father?" Link asked as he eyed the door that led to the bedchamber.

"He was weakened somehow; we think it was a magical attack," the Queen explained. "He was paralyzed by a gibdo and received a fatal wound."

Zelda didn't get to see Link's reaction. He had already bolted to the bedchamber door and wrenched it open.

She followed slowly and hesitated as she reached the door.

"Is there nothing we can do?" she turned and asked the Queen.

Adalynn shook her head, "The healers say he has lost too much blood, and the wound became infected unnaturally quickly. But fear not, Clement has come to terms with it all. He only wished to speak with Link before it was too late."

Zelda nodded and entered the bedchamber. The fire was roaring, and for a second, she could fool herself into thinking this was just a friendly visit on a lazy Saturday morning. But then she saw King Clement. His skin resembled bleached parchment, so pale and dry despite the sheen of sweat that was covering him. His eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn't slept in weeks, and his breathing was obviously labored. But that wasn't what caught Zelda's attention. The air was fresh, bright even, despite the lingering specter of death in the room.

"How could I be so stupid?" she gasped, practically slapping herself in the face. She quickly joined Link where he sat at the King's side. "I should have known, King Clement. I apologize for how my training has failed us both."

"You couldn't have prevented this, Zelda," Link soothed, but Clement shook his head.

"She's referring to something else, Link," his voice was soft and a little breathless. "Do not blame yourself, my dear. There was no way for you to know."

"What are you talking about?" Link asked.

"He was under the influence of dark magic," Zelda felt tears come to her eyes. "The whole time, how could I not notice?"

"That Dark Sorceress, Cia, tampered with my mind," the King said in response to Link's confused look. "At first it was small. Dreams urging me to change the marriage clause when we forged the alliance contract, thoughts of how to hasten the marriage so the alliance would be assured, ideas of what power I could have over Hyrule; the Golden Land could be under my control." The King shook his head ruefully. "I shouldn't have fallen for it, but my own thirst for glory betrayed me. Will you ever forgive me, Princess?"

"Of course," Zelda reached for the King's hand. "As long as you forgive the harsh treatment I have given you in return. If I had known, I would have done everything in my power to help you. Please know this."

"And you, Link?" Clement turned to his son. "Could you forgive a weak old fool who only wished for his son to succeed?"

"Your methods were abhorrent," Link smiled lightly. "But I will forgive you, Father."

King Clement laughed weakly before dissolving into a coughing fit. Queen Adalynn hurried in with some sort of liquid medicine.

"Don't exert yourself, Clement," she murmured as he drank the liquid. "Tell them about the amendment."

"Yes," Clement took a shaky breath. "If you'll show it to them, my dear."

Adalynn retrieved a document from the bedside table opposite them and passed it to the Prince and Princess over the bed.

"I had Adalynn write this up for me as soon as I was declared sound of mind enough," Clement explained. "It's an official amendment to the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause that will allow the engagement and marriage to take place at the time of the Prince and Princess' choosing. All you have to do is sign it and bring it to King Gerrik for approval, which I'm sure he will immediately grant."

Zelda quickly skimmed the document. It was just as Clement had said. Their courtship could be extended at the discretion of the Prince and Princess and the engagement could be extended to up to three years should need arise.

"I wholeheartedly agree to these terms," Zelda reached for a quill to sign her name. "Thank you for the early wedding present."

Clement and Adalynn smiled as she passed the document to Link. He, too, read the amendment but paused before signing.

"There's a clause stating that I will give final consent should King Gerrik wish to change anything," Link looked to his parents. "Surely Mother would have more say,-"

"Link," Clement gave his son a serious look that somehow made his grave features stand out strongly. "You will be King far sooner than either of us ever wished. By the time you bring this amendment to King Gerrik, it will be your contract to uphold, not mine or your mother's. You will rule this country, and you will do it well." Clement then took a deep, shuttering breath. "With Queen Adalynn Bathory of Calatia and Princess Zelda Hyrule of Hyrule as my witnesses, I reaffirm you as my heir and the future King of Calatia."

"I," Link swallowed, tears running silently down his face. "I humbly accept this burden from you, my King, and I dutifully await the day to fulfill this promise."

"The Goddesses are calling for that day to be today," Clement reached a shaky hand toward Link. "Are you ready, my son?"

"I will never be ready," Link replied taking his father's hand in his and squeezing it slightly. "But I will fulfill this duty to the best of my ability."

A knock on the door made the heavy air in the room dissipate. A butler poked his head into the room.

"The High Priest has arrived, Your Majesties."

"Thank you, Hans," Queen Adalynn nodded. "He is here to administer the Last Rites," She told Link and Zelda. "You may leave if you wish."

Zelda looked at Link for his decision only to find him looking at her.

"I will support you whatever you decide," she told him.

"Then we will stay," Link said to his mother.

The Last Rites consisted of anointing and vigil prayer. Zelda added her power to the High Priest's when he called upon the Goddesses to ease the pain of the King.

Link, Zelda, and Adalynn stayed by the King's side until the sun rose and the cries of "The King is dead; long live the King," almost drowned out the tolling bells of the Cathedral Steeple.

Link spent the whole of the next day purging the last of the monsters from the castle. He insisted Zelda return to her room to catch up on some sleep, but all she did was toss and turn fitfully for two hours before giving up entirely. The Dark Sorceress, Cia, had not been found during the night, and she was worried Link would not stop until he found and defeated her himself. When it was finally time for dinner, Zelda left her room, hoping to find Link in the dining hall. She greeted Queen Adalynn, who was already dressed in black mourning garb. Zelda sat next to her and began poking at the food in front of her. She would have to ask a maid to buy her a black dress quickly; Zelda hadn't packed anything suitable for mourning. The dining hall was quiet. Neither Zelda nor Adalynn were in the mood for conversation, and Zelda noticed the Queen was eating just as little as she was. After what seemed like an excruciating long time, the door burst open with a deafening bang.

"Sorry," Link grimaced. "They said I could find you here, Zelda."

"What?" she stood quickly. "What's happened?"

"We found Cia," he explained. "She's barricaded herself in the dungeons, and we need your help to get through."

"Of course."

He immediately led her to the main staircase and all the way down to the lowest dungeon level, further in the castle than she had ever gone before. He told her about the strange, vine-like creature they had found blocking the passage a few meters from the stairs. Link hoped Zelda's light magic would be able to subdue the thing long enough to allow the soldiers to cut it down.

"This almost looks like Manhandla vines," Zelda murmured as they neared the blocked hallway. "But corrupted with dark magic."

"So can you bring them down?" Link asked.

"Easily, yes," Zelda moved in front of Link and began pulling magic around her. "You won't even need to cut the vines down after I'm done."

"You're amazing."

"I know," she smirked as she reached out with a tendril of light magic.

At Zelda's urging, the light magic banished the dark magic that was keeping the vines animated, and they quickly withered.

"Alright, men," Link turned to the squadron of soldiers he had brought to the dungeons with him. "We don't know what's in there, so we have to be,-"

But Link didn't get to tell them the rest of his plan. Once the Manhandla vines had completely disappeared in a puff of smoke, a wave of dark energy cascaded through the archway the plant had been blocking. Only pure instinct allowed Zelda to throw up a barrier of light magic to protect herself and Link, who was closest. After the torrent of dark magic subsided, Zelda almost fell to the ground at the sudden drain in energy the shield had caused. Link was quick to catch her, but she just pointed behind them. The entire squadron of soldiers had fallen to the ground.

"Are they?" Zelda could barely get the words out.

Link went over to check the nearest soldier, "No they're still breathing. We must have taken the brunt of that attack."

"Good," she smiled despite her heavy breathing.

"Not good if it leaves you like this," Link scolded. "I'll help you back up the stairs. We can find a healer."

"No," Zelda struggled against Link as he tried to lift her. "Cia will just create a more dangerous trap. We have to confront her now."

"But you're weak," Link protested.

"I'll be fine. I can pull from the magic below the castle," she stood on her own. "And Cia is still far enough away that her dark magic won't affect me just yet. I'll be fine by the time we reach her."

Link grunted unhappily, "Alright. I trust you. But the second you feel anything, any sort of bad vibe or dark magic, you tell me."

"Only if you don't force me to turn back," Zelda stepped between him and the archway that would take them further into the dungeons. "You can't fight Cia alone. I won't let you."

To Zelda's surprise, a small smile broke out on Link's face.

"Together then."

They ventured further into the dungeon. Link wasn't trained in magic, but even he could see the way the shadows seemed to cling thickly to every surface. After a few minutes of walking, it was as if the torch he carried could not light up the surfaces around them.

"We're close; she should be just through that door," Zelda said as she eyed the impregnable darkness around them. "Do you have a plan for confronting Cia?"

"Honestly," Link looked at the barely visible door in front of them. "I thought she would have ambushed us by now."

"Well, I'm glad she hasn't," Zelda stepped closer to the door. "What's on the other side of this?"

"It's a branch point. The passage splits into three other hallways causing this next area to be larger, about the size of a normal room."

"So if Cia is there, we cannot allow her to escape down one of the other hallways. I doubt we would be able to find her if she did."

"Agreed," Link nodded. "With the way this darkness is getting, even I would get lost down here."

"Alright so I subdue her with my magic and give you time to otherwise incapacitate her."

"Sounds good to me," Link set his jaw. Zelda couldn't miss the anger in his eyes.

"Link, are you really thinking of killing her?"

"I will do what I must."

Link handed the torch to Zelda without another word and unsheathed his sword. But before he could reach the door to open it, it swung inward of its own accord.

"My dearest Link," a sickeningly sweet voice called from within. "I'm so happy you could finally join me."

He swallowed and took a step inside the door. Zelda followed closely, feeling as if the door would swing shut between them if it had the chance.

Cia was standing in the center of the crossroads. There was a chilly air of nonchalance about her, as if she hadn't just sent a horde of monsters to rampage through the castle.

"Oh, I see you brought an unwelcome guest," Cia's eyes narrowed. "No matter, this saves me time hunting you down, Princess."

"You will not lay a hand on her, witch," Link spat at her.

"Such foul language," Cia laughed mirthlessly. "I love it."

Then without warning, Cia raised her staff and fired a bolt of dark magic at Zelda. She dodged dropping the torch in the process as a large chunk of stone was taken out of the wall behind her.

"I have spent far too long trying to rid Link of your vile influence," Cia said calmly. "I should have just killed you as soon as you stepped foot in my orchard."

"No need to tell me of your insanity," Zelda snapped as she retaliated with a bolt of her own light magic.

"The only vile influence here is you," Link said as he rushed forward to strike with his sword. Cia blocked it with her staff.

"You would fight against your love?" her eyes went wide, as if she was actually surprised.

"No, I would never fight against Zelda," Link answered as Cia parried another of his attacks. "But you, on the other hand, will pay for your actions."

"My actions were only to help you," Cia raged as she held off Link with her staff while firing random shots of magic at Zelda. "I influenced that old fool, Clement, to set you up for more power than you could ever dream of and to drive away that bitch of a princess who never deserved you. But nothing would be too much for her. Not the strict contract or Clement's pressuring or the sudden engagement announcement. Even my horde of monsters was too incompetent to kill her. So I got rid of that useless, old king so you could follow your heart, Link. Now we can be together and nothing can stop us."

It almost hurt Link how far into insanity Cia had fallen.

"I have followed my heart," Link lunged again with his sword but missed. Cia retaliated with a bolt of magic, which Zelda countered with her own. "And I am under no magical influence; only you would stoop so low. Now, as the King of Calatia, I have heard your confession and sentence you to death for regicide."

Link rushed in with a flurry of attacks, slicing and cutting furiously against Cia's staff. Zelda followed his lead and began to fire as many offensive spells as she could think of, trying to keep Cia occupied on two fronts so she would be more distracted, and she coated Link's sword with the Blessing of Hylia so it could better defend against Cia's dark magic. Finally, Link got a lucky shot in, slicing Cia's staff wielding arm.

Cia screamed, her eyes growing wide as she raised her hand to her bleeding arm. It was only a small cut, not enough to really incapacitate her, but it seemed to have set something off in the witch.

"You, you hurt me," she sounded as if she couldn't believe the truth. "You actually hurt me, for her. You would really choose her over me?!" Purple fire erupted around her. Zelda was shocked; had Cia been holding back this whole time?

"How dare you turn your back on me? I have done everything for you, for us, and you would reject it all?" Cia screamed again, and the flames around her whipped about as if caught in a furious wind. "Fine. If I cannot have you willingly, then I will take you by force."

Cia began to wave her staff, summoning something. Zelda couldn't tell what it was, but she knew it was bad in more ways than one.

"Link," she called over the roar of the purple fire and the rush of the summoning spell. "She's using her life force to power the spell. If she continues this for too long, she will die."

Link gave her a curt nod. His expression was hard to read; his jaw was set, and his eyes were hard. Suddenly, a pool of dark magic opened up in front of them, and a figure emerged. Both Link and Zelda gasped. It was a dark specter shaped exactly like Link. It's glowing, red eyes looked toward Cia as if waiting for a command.

"Kill the Princess."

The Dark Link raced toward Zelda, and Link stepped in front of her, sword raised. Their swords clashed with a screech of metal and a spray of sparks. The Dark Link pushed against Link, testing his strength. Link grunted attempting to hold his ground in front of Zelda, until a streak of black lightening arched toward him. Link had to disengage the creature as he dodged the attack from Cia, which Zelda intercepted with a glowing shield.

"Link, dark creatures are extremely susceptible to my light arrows. I could-" Zelda started, but Link cut her off.

"No!" he cried as he crossed swords with the Dark Link again. "Focus on Cia. The sooner we stop her, the sooner this thing will dissipate."

"She's too powerful to capture with my power alone," Zelda blocked another attack from Cia as Link continued to clash with the Dark Link. "Unfortunately, the best way to bring her down might be to weaken her by allowing that dark creature to remain on this plane."

"Then we will fight together," Link actually smiled as he swept his sword in a large arch to ward off a wave of dark magic sent by Cia. Zelda came up behind him and sent her own wave of light magic. Cia was able to dodge it, but the Dark Link hissed in pain as the magic hit him.

"Together then."

Link and Zelda danced around each other, and in the back of her mind, Zelda thought it might look like a scene out of one of the epic dramas about the Hero of Legend. They weaved about one another, switching between fighting Cia or the Dark Link on a moment's notice. Zelda fired a blast of magic at Cia to knock her back only to see the Dark Link jumping to attack her, which Link was quick to block with his sword. Zelda reached down into the ancient well of magic that was below the castle and threw a huge ball of light magic at the Dark Link as Cia fought to fend off Link's Blessed sword. The Dark Link let out an agonizing screech before dissipating into a cloud of smoke.

"No!" Cia cried as she blasted Link back and began summoning the creature anew.

"What happened to letting the thing stay on this plane?" Link winced slightly as he got up.

"I didn't think he would be that susceptible to light magic," she shrugged. "Besides it will only weaken her more to use her life energy to summon another one."

They were ready this time when the new Dark Link emerged from the portal in front of them. Link attacked the creature before Cia could even give it an order, but this Dark Link was faster than the last one and dodged with inhuman speed. Zelda doubled her spell on Link's sword and turned to face Cia. Weakening her would in turn weaken the Dark Link and make her easier to subdue. Already Zelda could feel Cia reaching a level where she could capture the witch with a well-placed net spell that Cia wouldn't be able to break.

"You have been a thorn in my side for too long, Princess," Cia spat as she fired purple flames at Zelda. "You poisoned my dearest Link against me. You should have backed out of that contract when you had the chance."

"And you should have given up on your crazy crush three years ago," Zelda scoffed as she redirected the fire toward the Dark Link.

The Dark Link had lost enough power fighting Link that it couldn't dodge the fire in time. Link sliced at the creature while it was distracted by the fire causing it to disappear in another cloud of smoke.

"Surrender, Cia," Link yelled over the gurgle of not one, but two new summoning portals. "You won't win."

"You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up," Zelda cried. "Please stop while we can help you."

"I will not stop until Link is by my side," Cia laughed maniacally as two Dark Links emerged from their portals. "He will join me when you die, Princess."

"She's lost," Link grunted as he blocked a blow from one of the Dark Links. "We have no choice. Can you capture her now?"

"Yes," Zelda huffed as she fired a bolt of light past the shield that was holding the other Dark Link back. "But she's not going to last much longer, Link."

"That doesn't matter now," he shoved his shield against the Dark Link causing it to stumbled back. "We just need to stop her."

"Cover me," Zelda ducked as Link swiped his sword in a sweeping spin attack. She pulled deep from the well of magic below the castle and shot two bright spheres of light at the Dark Links, making them disappear in a puff of smoke just like their predecessors. Link rushed toward Cia before she could attempt to summon more dark creatures and distracted her long enough for Zelda to pull together a net spell. Fine golden thread appeared before her, and she quickly expanded it into a large net.

"Link, move," she yelled before firing the golden net toward Cia. Link rolled out of the way, and the net wrapped around Cia. The witch practically burst into purple flames trying to escape, but Zelda channeled the magic from the ancient well into the net so that it could hold against Cia's struggles. Once the fire dissipated, Cia collapsed on to the floor.

"She's lost too much of her life force," Zelda murmured into the now silent walkway. "She's dying, Link."

He only nodded curtly and approached Cia where she lay on the ground.

"I just wanted us to be together," Cia said weakly.

"I know," Link kneeled down next to her. "I'm sorry it had to end this way."

"We could have been," Cia's breathing began to slow, "together. I, - I just wanted to love you."

As Cia's eyes began to close, Link could only repeat, "I'm sorry."

* * *

The next few days seemed to run together. Zelda felt herself mechanically running through the motions, blaming most of it on exhaustion and sleep deprevation. From getting fitted for multiple black dresses to writing her parents explaining what had happened and why she was staying in Calatia longer to planning King Clement's funeral, it all ended up being a haze. Zelda seemed to come back to herself as she stood on the steps waiting to get into the carriage with the new Queen Mother, Adalynn, and join the funeral procession. She looked back to see Link at the head of the stairs dressed in black mourning clothes but with a crown on his head to signify his new title. He would be the last to depart, walking behind his father's casket, as was tradition. Zelda turned back to Queen Adalynn.

"Could I walk with Link? Behind the casket?"

She could see the shock on the Queen's face through the black veil that she wore.

"Well, yes you could, but it would imply,-"

"I know what it would mean," Zelda looked back at Link. He seemed so distant standing alone at the top of the steps. "And I'm wearing gloves; people can think what they wish."

"Link is lucky to have you, my dear," Adalynn smiled as she walked forward to get into the carriage alone.

Zelda stood to the side, allowing the guards and cavalrymen to pass her. Link walked down the steps to join her at the bottom.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to walk with you."

"But you don't have to. Women traditionally don't," Link shook his head. "We aren't even engaged yet."

"I know," she gave him a small smile as the horses drawing the casket began to walk. "But we will be, and I will not wait until that day to walk by your side."

The casket passed them, and a house guard motioned for them to follow behind it.

"Thank you," Link reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

The next few days were better, less rushed. It was officially decided that Link's coronation would not be for a few months, which would allow Zelda time to go back home to Hyrule where the amendment to the Courtship and Marriage Contract Clause could be ratified by King Gerrik. Link and Zelda didn't really have time alone together until the evening before she was due to return home, a week after the funeral.

"I wanted to ask you something," Link began as they walked around the horse track. They had decided against riding, but the track at the stables was generally more secluded than any of the gardens at the castle, better for private conversations.

"Must be important for you to bring me all the way out here," Zelda teased.

"Well, yes it is a little important," he smiled. "I know you wanted to wait until closer to your own coronation, but a lot of things have changed, and I'm a King now, and we've already decided we will get married, so."

"So?"

"The wedding wouldn't be for a while, obviously, but I would like for you to officially be my future wife at my coronation."

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Zelda laughed.

"In far too many words yes," Link laughed with her. "I even have a ring this time."

He stopped walking and pulled the box out of his pocket. He opened it to reveal a gold ring with small diamonds along the band and a single oval diamond ringed by bright blue sapphires.

"This isn't the ring I threw in the moat, so don't worry," Link smiled at her shyly. "The Gorons gave me these stones actually, when we were negotiating our treaty with them. You wouldn't have wanted the first ring anyway. I'm pretty sure my father just went into the family collection and picked a random ring." He took the ring out of the box and held it up to Zelda so she could examine it closer. "I picked the sapphires hoping they would match your eyes. Luckily they do." Link wiggled the ring slightly causing Zelda to laugh.

He got down on one knee and held the ring up to her, "Zelda, will you marry me?"

Link had been building up to this moment for minuets now, but it still took Zelda's breath away to see him looking up at her. It reminded her of when he asked to court her in front of all the Hyrulean Nobles. Oh, how things had changed since then.

"Yes."


	7. Time

Princess Zelda was practically bouncing in her seat.

"Are we almost there, Mother?" she asked, glancing out the window as if Calatia City would suddenly appear over the horizon in the next couple of seconds.

"It'll be an hour still, Caralynn," Queen Zelda smiled at her daughter. "We'll be there in time for dinner. Don't worry."

"But how could I not?" Caralynn slouched in her seat. "I'm so nervous for Kaleb, and we haven't seen him or Father for a whole month."

"I know, dear," Zelda smiled. "I miss them, too. But I'm sure Kaleb will be fine for his crowning. He has become a very mature young man."

"Mature?" Caralynn huffed. "Before they left last time, Kaleb put a frog in my bedsheets."

"If I remember correctly, you had left a snake in his," Zelda pointedly stared at her daughter.

"It was only a tiny garden snake," Caralynn resumed looking out the window so as to not meet her mother's gaze. "It wouldn't have hurt him." Then she giggled. "He has such a girly scream for a fifteen-year-old."

The Queen could only roll her eyes and shake her head.

They arrived at the Calatian Royal Castle in an hour, just as Zelda had predicted. Her husband, King Link, and their son, Prince Kaleb were there to greet them.

"Oh, my son," Zelda hugged Kaleb extra tight just because she could. "I missed you so much."

"Mother," Kaleb huffed. "I can't breathe."

"Oh hush," she ruffed his hair which made him scowl. "Just let your mother give you a hug after we've been apart for a month." Zelda briefly turned to Link sending him a smile and extending her hand so he could press a quick kiss to her knuckles. "How have preparations gone? Will everything be ready by next week?"

"Yes, everything has gone rather smoothly," he replied, escorting his wife up the stairs and into the main entrance. "Preparations for the crowning are complete, everything for the ball is finished, and the only thing left is the cleaning of a few guest rooms. Speaking of which, when will your parents arrive?"

"Day after tomorrow," Zelda answered as Caralynn and Kaleb raced past them down the hall. "We may need to separate them soon. Apparently Kaleb left a frog in Caralynn's bed before you left."

"I think we should have some father-daughter time then," Link smiled as he slipped away to grab Caralynn. In turn, Zelda stepped forward to grab Kaleb.

It wasn't until she had children of her own that Zelda truly appreciated the patience her own mother used when dealing with her. She loved her children, yes, and couldn't imagine her life without them, but it was times like these that she felt like the Goddesses were really testing her.

* * *

Guests arrived from all across the Goddesses' Realm to attend the anointing of Prince Kaleb as the Crown Prince of Calatia. There was more pomp surrounding the event than usual as many wanted to watch a son of Hyrule and Calatia be introduced to the life of public service and the full duties of the crown.

Of course, Zelda was worried out of her mind. She could have sworn there were less people attending her marriage to Link. She never wanted this kind of pressure on her sweet son.

"The only added anxiety I feel is from your worrying, Mother," Kaleb said during breakfast the day before the ceremony. "I promise I'm fine. I promise everything will go perfectly. If anything you should be worried about Father forgetting his lines or Caralynn making a scene."

"Being scolded by my own son," Zelda lamented, ignoring the cries of protest from her husband and daughter. "What has the world come to? Alright, Kaleb, I promise not to pester you for the rest of the day and all of tomorrow."

"I'll hold you to your word," Kaleb pointed his fork at her. "Not a peep for the next forty-eight hours."

It was easier than Zelda thought. During their final dress rehearsal, Kaleb performed perfectly, easing all the worries she had.

"You're going to do just fine, my son," she pulled him into a hug. "Now don't stay up too late, and don't drive your father crazy."

Zelda turned to Link, "And don't drive your son crazy, either."

After some final hugs with both Zelda and Caralynn, Link and Kaleb left to partake in a traditional night of seclusion. From the end of the dress rehearsal to the beginning of the crowning, it was tradition for the father and son to be alone and meet with no one. It was a time for the King to pass down wisdom to his heir and for the future Crown Prince to bare his anxieties to his father. The entire time was kept secret to all but the pair, and Zelda knew how important it would be to them both. Link told her once that the night before his own crowning held some of his greatest memories with his father.

The next morning was a rush of excitement, mainly spearheaded by Princess Zelda Caralynn. She was a whirlwind of energy, barely keeping still to let her hair be styled or her Bathory green dress to be properly laced up.

"My first official international ball," the young princess smiled widely. "Will there be kids my age?"

"There should be," Zelda smiled at her daughter through the mirror in front of them both. "Queen Hilda of Lorule has a daughter around your age. And of course several of your friends from both Hyrule and Calatia will be here."

"Yay!" she cheered.

"I hope you practiced your dance steps," Queen Mother Adalynn smiled from where she sat by the fire.

"Every chance I could," Caralynn smiled brightly and twirled for her Grandmother just to prove her point. "Dance lessons are much more fun than my other tutoring."

"Thought her tutoring has gone much better since Kaleb started taking all his lessons here in Calatia," Zelda almost rolled her eyes, and Adalynn nodded knowingly.

"The joys of raising royal children," the Queen Mother laughed.

"I truly don't know how you did it with, Link."

"Lots of patience and replacing paneling filled with arrow holes on the second floor gallery."

"Bless you and your patience, Queen Mother," Zelda placed a hand over her heart. "Now," she turned to Caralynn, "which jewelry would you like to wear?"

"Could I wear the emerald set Grandmother Ada gave me last Goddess Day?"

"I think that's a perfect choice," Zelda reached for the delicate necklace and earrings her daughter selected and handed them to Adalynn so she could put them on her granddaughter. She carefully clasped the necklace on while Caralynn slipped the earrings into place.

"You look like a Princess," Zelda smiled at her daughter as she twirled in front of the mirror.

"Thank you," she smiled. "But I still think blue looks better."

"That's my girl."

They waited in a second floor parlor with some of the other high profile guests until it was their turn to enter the Grand Hall. The Queen and Princess took their thrones on the dais behind the High Priest while the Queen Mother took her seat in the front row, and they waited for the entrance of the King and Prince.

Everyone stood when Link walked in with Kaleb at his side and the ceremony began.

"I, Link of House Bathory, present my son, Kaleb Jonathan, to the Goddesses above, all here in attendance, and all the subjects of my realm," Link spoke to the High Priest.

"As the chosen representative of the Goddesses, I welcome you," the High Priest nodded. "Is there anything you wish to declare to the Goddesses of old?"

"I wish to declare my intention to name my son as my heir and Crown Prince of the kingdom of Calatia."

The High Priest began the ceremonial speech in Ancient Hylian. Zelda glanced over at Caralynn to see her daughter's brow furrowed in concentration to hear and understand each word. After the High Priest was done, Kaleb knelt, and Link stepped forward to give the formal vows.

"With all the peoples of Calatia here as my witnesses," he started, "I confirm you as my heir and the future King of Calatia."

"I humbly accept this burden from you, my King," Kaleb responded. "And I dutifully await the day to fulfill this promise."

"The Goddesses will call for that day whenever they wish. Will you be ready, my son?" Link held out his hand.

"I will never be ready," Kaleb grabbed his father's hand with both of his. "But I will fulfill this duty to the best of my ability."

Zelda thought she heard more weight in Kaleb's words than during the dress rehearsal the night before, and she wondered if Link had told him how he renewed his own crowning vows with his father on King Clement's deathbed.

Pages stepped forward, and Link handed Kaleb the ceremonial scepter and orb before placing a grandiose crown adorned in emeralds on his son's head. The High Priest stepped forward again to perform the final part of the ceremony.

"In the name of the Golden Goddesses, I anoint you as the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Calatia," the High Priest dipped his fingers into the anointing oil and drew a triangle on Kaleb's forehead. "Rise and receive your people."

Kaleb stood and turned to face the crowd, holding his head high despite the weight of the crown.

"I proclaim you Kaleb Jonathan of House Bathory, Crown Prince of Calatia," the High Priest called out. "May the Goddesses bless you."

"May the Goddesses bless you," the crowd echoed back before breaking into applause and the occasional cheer from the younger guests and Caralynn.

* * *

Zelda smiled as she watched Caralynn and Kaleb dance as informally as they could along with the other young kids on the dance floor, knowing Adalynn was off somewhere shaking her head and laughing at the sight. Dinner was technically finished, but the plates and tables were still being cleared. The children and young adults had stormed the dance floor and starting partying while their parents stood and engaged in small talk.

"I'm glad we can give them such joy," Zelda sighed.

"Feeling nostalgic now that they're growing?" Link chuckled next to her.

"Of course," Zelda shoved Link half-heartedly. "I was so worried about their childhood, raising them in two countries as we are."

"And they have completely turned out fine," he smiled. "Probably better than we were at that age."

"Oh Goddesses," she shook her head. "I almost can't believe how much we've changed since we first met all those years ago."

"Yes, if we had it your way, we wouldn't even be married."

"We might have if you weren't so stubborn over my Sheik disguise."

Link scoffed, "You know I love your Sheik disguise. It was the deception I was angry about."

"Like you wouldn't have done the same if you could," Zelda laughed when Link didn't have a quick reply.

They sat and watched as the kids were shepherded off the dance floor, and the ball was officially opened by Kaleb and one of the noble's daughters that he adamantly told them he did not have a crush on (none of them believed him).

"Are you glad?" Link asked quietly. "That we stuck it out after everything we went through?"

Zelda thought back on the last few years. Their coronations and wedding, spending a whole year to just tour Hyrule and Calatia and visit every possible nook and cranny of each country, finding out she was pregnant and bickering with Link about the gender for months (all in good fun of course). It hadn't been easy, traveling back and forth from Hyrule to Calatia every six months, but to see her and Link's children grow and learn about both of their homelands had been worth it. She couldn't imagine a happy life without them running around the castle. In fact she couldn't imagine what her life would be like without Link beside her.

She touched her wedding ring. The sapphires of her engagement ring were accompanied by a band of emeralds now, reflecting the colors of the two houses she a part of. It didn't matter that it had all started with a contract that Zelda had initially sought to be annulled. It didn't matter that they had fought each other tooth and nail for almost two years after meeting one another. And it didn't matter that it took both of them far too long to realize their true feelings for one another. What mattered was that they were together, they were happy, and each day was better than the one before.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."


End file.
